Job Discussion Forums

Gray000 · Joined: 14 Apr 2003 Posts: 183 Location: A better place

My FC tends to pull a 'Well, this is China, you don't know what to expect' whenever the owner wants to pull some noncontractual stunt. Here's my sitch:

I am on a salary of X yuan per month. Salary is actually salary in that if I work less than Y hours per month I still get X Yuan. More is OT.

The contract states I have two paid sick days. (YAY!)

However, after some time nursing my gullet - Sichuan spicy fish - I find out what this means.

After your two days are up, extra hours missed are deducted from my salary at my overtime rate of time and a half. Yes, this is regardless of whether or not I'm on OT for the month.

In this context, paid sick days means they don't make that deduction, but they also don't count those hours towards hours worked for the month - which matters for calculating OT.

Now, that this is typically chinese I believe. What I wonder is, how many FT's put up with this? I didn't at my previous positions here, I assure you. Just curious.

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

I dare say that public schools reward you generously with holidays, and if you fall sick you should be prepared to make up time. The medication and examinations are free.
It is a slightly different matter with language institutes: You have fewer holidays per year, and if you fall sick you have to accept a cut to your pay.
I can't remember asking for any sick leave in all these years - I would not have the guts to ask for such a "favour"! Miraculously, my occasional fevers occur mostly on weekends!

Gray000 · Joined: 14 Apr 2003 Posts: 183 Location: A better place

yep docked at time and a half for missing time. I got em down to regular rates, but only but being incredibly ticked at being surprised.

Count_Fathom · Joined: 17 Apr 2003 Posts: 92

I used to take an interest in fractals. A system of chaos eventually develops a pattern. Perhaps after fifty years at ten schools the pattern of sick day pay would become recognizable.

I missed four classes this year due to illness; didn't make-up those lessons. I have made-up month holiday lessons occasionally. Worked on Sunday afternoons when only my fifty students and myself were at the school (sometimes not even all fifty of the students). Been given days off for apparently no reason. Had new classes pop-up on the radar with an hour notice and just as quickly vanish from the schedule a week later. Pay has always remained the same.

I feel really bad for the lady to whom the school dumps the job of informing me of schedule changes on short notice. She recieves a nasty look and comment, but I comply 95% of the time.