Job Discussion Forums

Spiderman · Joined: 20 Jan 2003 Posts: 13

Check out this weblink to read yet another account of someone's experiences with this company:

http://www.fierceforward.com/interac

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

That site is filled with stinging remarks and no support, history, or details on them.

matko · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 43

Actually Glenski, I work for them and the stuff on the website is accurate. He even gives the names of the actual people involved. Some of the stuff he says is not supported but I can vouch for the late pay stuff. There are alot of things that he writes about that happen to teachers at this company all the time. If we are late for work or submit paperwork late we get less money on our bonus. Fair enough. Why don't they have to pay any kind of penalty when they are late?
I know you are not defending the company, but the stuff on that website is true.
Take care

ne01 · Joined: 20 Jan 2003 Posts: 23

hi matko, thanks for the info. i've just got a job with interac so that website is useful. i'll still take the job even though i have been warned..haha
can i ask you some questions, since u work for them. the wage is 250,000 per month and this is broken up into 210,000 for the wage, 20,000 for relocation and 20,000 for bonuses. so if you don't get your bonuses does this mean you only get 230,000. i thought the minimum wage for english teachers in japan was 250,000. is this right?
also on the issue of late pay, do they pay monthly or partial payments every few weeks?
i have heaps of questions for you, maybe it might be easier if i could email you.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

matko,
Thanks for seeing that I was not defending Interac. I responded similarly to the same post on another forum and was slammed by someone who thought I was all for Interac.

All I wanted to say was that the web site seemed pretty thin. A few stinging remarks were made, but it was hard to know any background on the situation, so an objective observer (like neo1) doesn't get the full picture.

matko · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 43

To Glenski: I wouldn't accuse you of that. I have followed this board for a long time and your posts are always informative, fair and to the point!
To Neo: You can always send me a personal message on this board or just post it here!
Anyway to answer your questions , Interac has different branch offices and the contracts tend to be slightly different at each one.
You are guaranteed 250, 000 yen a month. The only exception is August when you get 75% pay. Some branches also pay 75 % in December but their end of year bonus is bigger so it kind of works out.
At my branch, they only deduct the end of year bonus if you screw up and your raise for the next year could be less as a result. The second year is when they could deduct the raise amount. IE you make 270,000 a month but if you screw up one month you get 260, 000. At least that's the way I understand it.
As for how they pay, that's where it gets sticky. You are supposd to get paid monthly and for the most part they do. However, sometimes they have cash flow problems and only pay you half and then the other half about ten days later. Once they paid me one day late, but the full amount. This is what most people complain about. I think most people wouldn't mind getting paid every two weeks if they knew in advance. You usually get the call the day before. FRUSTRATING!
Also, you won't get paid for 2 months and then they pay you for the first month only. That way you are always one month behind. I think this might be illegal (Glenski?). So be prepared! Have lots of money!
Take care and feel free to ask any and all questions!
Matko

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

According to the Labour Standards Law, "the full amount of wages must be paid directly to workers themselves in cash on a fixed date once or more a month". So, to pay someone a month late, as matko described, doesn't sound illegal to me. But I sure wouldn't want to wait that long for my money. Is this in the contract?

Just curious about what ne01 wrote (the wage is 250,000 per month and this is broken up into 210,000 for the wage, 20,000 for relocation and 20,000 for bonuses). If this is true, in my opinion the teacher is getting the shaft. A bonus is additional money, not part of your monthly wages. And just what does "relocation" mean, especially if you get this every month? Is this just a fancy way to say transportation expenses to and from work? If so, again, I say you are getting screwed. Transportation pay is given to you above and beyond the baseline salary, which in the vast majority of situations is 250,000 yen per month. Can someone clarify ne01's statement?

matko · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 43

The one month late thing. To be honest I forgot if it was in the contract or just in the unofficial outline and job description they give you. It is written down somewhere and everybody is made aware of it before they start. They say they do this to cover expenses and bills incurred by the teacher if they "suddenly" leave their apartment and job. What irks me about that is that most people don't even have an Interac apartment or use them as a guarantor!! Yet they still do it!
Neo01's comment about the 20,000 for relocation and bonus is news to me. I have never heard of this at interac. Everybody gets paid a minimum of 250,000 every month regardless. Also, travel expenses are paid back to you. It does not come out of your pocket.
Ciao

ne01 · Joined: 20 Jan 2003 Posts: 23

thanks matko and glenski for the good info. maybe i heard wrong, but at the interview i was told the wage outline was broken up into that. 210,000 as a wage, 20,000 bonuses and 20,000 relocation bonus. i hope i'm wrong. they said this was a new system. relocation means a bonus for moving to japan..sounds abit sus to me. so basically they are saying they are going to pay me 210,000.. i don't think so. if so then, i 'll leave before signing the contract.
on another issue, is the contract written in both english and japanese? if so i should get an independent japanese person to read it for me and make sure there aren't all "descrepencies".

matko · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 43

That does sound suspect. I received an 80,000 relocation bonus seperately from my 250,000 monthly salary. HMMMM. Check it out again and if it is as you say, don't sign. I would be very surprised if it were.
As for the contract, If there is one in Japanese, I never saw it or signed it. Mine was all in English. If they do have a seperate Japanese contract that you didn't sign, I believe the one in English would be the one that would take precedence. Then again I am not familiar with Japanese law on this one(Glenski? Again!)
cheers

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

I don't know of any law or regulation that says contracts have to be in both languages. If it's only in English, feel happy and sign it if you agree with the clauses. If it's in both languages, assume that the English one is identical. (My previous language school offered both, and there was never a problem.)

I still say, what does "relocation bonus" mean? You don't relocate every month. I think you are getting screwed with that kind of description.

ne01 · Joined: 20 Jan 2003 Posts: 23

i have more questions about interac for everyone, especially matko. sorry if there are too many, but i need to know these things and interac have told me nothing!

* is the contract seen before leaving for japan? does the contract officially mention late pay? (i think this has been previously answered)
* if you get sick you can use your personal days can't you?
* how does the transport reimbursement work? do you buy tickets, then tell interac how much you spent, then they reimburse you in your pay.
* what do you do when you're not teaching during your day at school (paperwork, planning) and do you visit a number of schools during the day or are you assigned to one.
* what does the paperwork for interac involve?

matko · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 43

1:Contract: I didn't see mine before I left. I assumed it would be the same as the outline. As it turned out I went to a branch office and it was slightly different. Somethings better and somethings worse.
2:Late pay: it is not mentioned in the contract
3:Sick days: Havent taken any yet. My friends have. No problem. Just a little paperwork
4:transport: You pay, they pay you back. Simple really.
5:What to do at work when not teaching: Sometimes I prepare. After 10 months at this job and 7 years experience it is about 5 minutes a day. Also, play with the kids in gym, talk to teachers and staff, read a book or the paper, participate in school events. Sometimes physical labour! (only if you want though) I quite enjoy it. Basically anything as long as it is proffessional. (no sleeping!!)
6: I am assigned to 5 elementary schools in one year. First 4 months at one school everyday. second and third at the same time. Mon to wed at one, thur to fri at another. Same for the current ones.
7: paperwork: paysheet once a month(simple), monthly report(simple, but annoying)
To conclude, it all depends on your branch office and especially your board of education. But, I think you get the gyst!
I probably forgot something so please feel free to ask
Matko

ne01 · Joined: 20 Jan 2003 Posts: 23

thanks for the thorough info matko Smile

here's another for you. does interac become the guarantor when renting an apartment? and do people look for their apartments during the "training" week. another thing, when the new recruits arrive, where do we stay until we find apartments? does interac provide "free" accomodation during this time? thanks!

matko · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 43

No problem!
Does interac act as a guarantor?: If you want them to. Some real estate companies that deal specifically with foreigners will also act as guarantors. My girlfriend acted as mine, but some of my friends have had the other two done for them.
Do people look for apt. during training?: Yes. It can be a little tight in terms of options. However, interac will provide you with a real estate agent that has experience with the "foreigner problem". It can be a little nerve racking and stressfull but everybody I was in training with found a reasonable apt.
Where do you stay during training and who pays?: I stayed in a pretty nice hotel within walking distance of training for a week at interac's expense.
My transition to Japan was pretty smooth. Then again, it was my second time and I had a girlfriend to help me out.
I hate to say this yet again, but, it truly depends on your branch office and who is working there. Based on my experience, it shouldn't be too bad!
Take care, and again feel free to ask anything else.
Matko