View previous topic :: View next topic |
Author |
Message |
yamahuh
Joined: 23 Apr 2004 Posts: 1033 Location: Karaoke Hell
|
Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2005 7:13 am Post subject: State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs |
|
|
Apparently this governmental body restricts the amount of vacation time that can be enjoyed (with pay) by FT's. Our employer is (once again) trying to squirm out of paying us for our vacation in August by saying that she is not allowed to pay us for it.
I just think that the State Administration lays down guidelines for minimum employer responsibilities to Foreign Teachers, not maximums. As our employer I feel that she can pay us for as much vacation time as she wants, if she wanted to bring us over here and pay us to take 4 months vacation that would be her decision.
Of course that's just my opinion...maybe I'm being too Western in my thinking
Anyone care to shed some light / opinions? |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
cj750

Joined: 27 Apr 2004 Posts: 3081 Location: Beijing
|
Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2005 11:59 am Post subject: |
|
|
Even though I have 2 /10 month contracts back to back..we get paid 12 months..with a four month vacation....it is possible... |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
yamahuh
Joined: 23 Apr 2004 Posts: 1033 Location: Karaoke Hell
|
Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2005 1:03 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Let me make sure I'm reading you right; you work 10 months and get paid for 2 months vacation to make a total of 12 months pay per year?
If so that's EXACTLY the situation I'm in that she is saying she isn't ALLOWED to pay us for. Personally I think she's full of s**t but I just wanted to check. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
tw
Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 3898
|
Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2005 2:13 pm Post subject: |
|
|
yamahuh wrote: |
Let me make sure I'm reading you right; you work 10 months and get paid for 2 months vacation to make a total of 12 months pay per year?
If so that's EXACTLY the situation I'm in that she is saying she isn't ALLOWED to pay us for. Personally I think she's full of s**t but I just wanted to check. |
These paid vacations usually only take place in public schools and the conditions vary differently from employer to employer. My current employer will pay me a full-month's salary for winter vacation but will only pay me another full-month's salary if I sign on for another year-long contract with them. I will not be getting any 1,000+ RMB winter or summer vacation pay. In Dalian it was different. I got both vacation pay AND a full-month's salary for the summer vacation, and a winter vacation pay. These details should be in your contract appendix.
Last edited by tw on Sat Oct 08, 2005 12:40 am; edited 1 time in total |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
bigroh73
Joined: 10 Sep 2005 Posts: 16 Location: Shanghai, CHINA
|
Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2005 2:51 pm Post subject: |
|
|
If you are on a full-time contract - then you should be getting paid consistently every month - regardless of what holidays occur or do not during that period. That being said - its common practise for many schools (especially private ones) to try to squirm their way out of not paying you - using some amazing formula that they have created to their benefit. I have worked in schools like this before.
If it states in your contract (i know they're worth less than toilet paper) that you do get X no. of days paid holidays - then you should at least have a good case for being paid. However, getting the money from them is another case.
Of course, if you believe they should pay you - and they do not, then if they have breached their contract (in your opinion), then leave, quit. Its not worth staying there. It was one of the smartest moves I ever made. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
yamahuh
Joined: 23 Apr 2004 Posts: 1033 Location: Karaoke Hell
|
Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2005 4:03 pm Post subject: |
|
|
We are coming up to contract negotiations (we are not going to resign )however we want to get all that is owing to us. Our current contract expired at the end of September and we dont have a new one until the end of October (long story).
This next month is basically a 'no-mans land' for settling things that are owed us. If they are not settled to our satisfaction we will leave.
If we leave with no notice, and have no contract in place are we violating any kind of laws?
We have an RPF issued by the company we work for. If we leave the company can we still stay in the country with the RPF issued by our current empoyer until its expiry date?? |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
tw
Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 3898
|
Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 12:40 am Post subject: |
|
|
yamahuh wrote: |
We have an RPF issued by the company we work for. If we leave the company can we still stay in the country with the RPF issued by our current empoyer until its expiry date?? |
If you pull a runner then don't be surprised if they go to the PSB to cancel your RPF. If you complete your contract with them then I don't see them doing this and so yes, you should be able to stay in China until your RPF expires. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
yamahuh
Joined: 23 Apr 2004 Posts: 1033 Location: Karaoke Hell
|
Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 3:08 am Post subject: |
|
|
tw wrote: |
If you pull a runner then don't be surprised if they go to the PSB to cancel your RPF. If you complete your contract with them then I don't see them doing this and so yes, you should be able to stay in China until your RPF expires. |
Are we really 'pulling a runner' if we leave when we have no contract?
As of right now we have not signed a new contract and our previous contract finished on October 1st. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
tw
Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 3898
|
Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 4:42 am Post subject: |
|
|
yamahuh wrote: |
Are we really 'pulling a runner' if we leave when we have no contract?
As of right now we have not signed a new contract and our previous contract finished on October 1st. |
The way I see it, if you and your employer (or former employer) had previously made a verbal agreement for you to remain working there, then it's just a matter of formality to sign another contract. Otherwise, then as far as I am concerned, you have completed your contract and are free to move on. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
cj750

Joined: 27 Apr 2004 Posts: 3081 Location: Beijing
|
Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 5:03 am Post subject: |
|
|
if you have no contract now..there is no obligation for the company to pay you at this time...if you want a paid vacation state so in contact negociation..many schools are going to a 10 month contract to cut cost of paying for vacations...it is all in teh sprit of teh contract
Actually I have a total of 4 motnths off two are paid...but I have spead the earnings on a yearly basis across the board to fill up 12 months..with only the housing allowence not being paid for the two months..that way money comes in all year ong..and I can work somewhere else for the two months if I want..making that a vacatin work time..in China or else where... |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Roger
Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138
|
Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 5:17 am Post subject: |
|
|
FTs without a contract but a resident's permit in their passport? Why or how did this come about??? It takes two to tango; you must have been a consenting partner to crime (or a legally uncovered employment situation) for a long time; you can therefore claim no "rights" from the SAFEA regulations.
Your resident's permit is in the name of your employer, and quitting forfeits all your residency rights, except a time span to allow you to exit China or get a new job negotiated and approved. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
yamahuh
Joined: 23 Apr 2004 Posts: 1033 Location: Karaoke Hell
|
Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 11:37 am Post subject: |
|
|
tw wrote: |
The way I see it, if you and your employer (or former employer) had previously made a verbal agreement for you to remain working there, then it's just a matter of formality to sign another contract. Otherwise, then as far as I am concerned, you have completed your contract and are free to move on. |
The issue is that we're owed money for our vacation pay and we're not going to sign a new contract with this company if they don't honour the old one.
What would be the point?
Why would they honour the new contract if they didn't honour the old one?
Roger: We were issued a RPF during the last year while we were employed by this company. Now we have no contract (it expired on October 1st) and although we are still working for the company we are waiting to see if we are paid what we are owed before we consider signing a new one.
What kind of time span are you referring to if we decide to leave and our RPF's are revoked? |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
tw
Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 3898
|
Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 3:13 pm Post subject: |
|
|
yamahuh wrote: |
The issue is that we're owed money for our vacation pay and we're not going to sign a new contract with this company if they don't honour the old one.
What would be the point?
Why would they honour the new contract if they didn't honour the old one? |
Was it stated in your contract that they would pay for vacation? If so, what are the exact wordings? |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Roger
Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138
|
Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2005 12:57 pm Post subject: |
|
|
this guy seems to me to be beating about the bush with information he alone has at his own finger tips, i.e. in his contract, no matter whether it has expired or not; a clause is a clause that you can read a hundred years from now if you keep the contract. Does it unambiguously state he stands to be paid his salary during idle months such as summer holidays or spring festival? If it doesn't say so then he has no legal claim to any remuneration during that time - that is a point I keep repeating to newbies who prefer higher pay which they usually get working for a language mill where they get worked much longer hours and more weeks a year.
I believe this is the same guy that started a thread asking whether moonlighting is "legal" or not, and why not, or was it a storm in a cup of tea over doing a midnight runner? |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
yamahuh
Joined: 23 Apr 2004 Posts: 1033 Location: Karaoke Hell
|
Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2005 3:00 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Roger wrote: |
I believe this is the same guy that started a thread asking whether moonlighting is "legal" or not, and why not, or was it a storm in a cup of tea over doing a midnight runner? |
Sorry to burst your bubble Roger but I have never started a thread enquiring about 'moonlighting' or pulling 'midnight runners'.
Although the contract does not state that the vacations are paid; the ensuing correspondence back and forth between me and my (at that time) future employer qualified and clarified the situation.
The intent was that the holidays should be paid.
I printed out all of the e-mails sent between us and have them with me in China. Since then she has been fired and the contracts were not renegotiated. When we asked about this we were told that the original contracts would be honoured until their expiry date.
My biggest mistake was not getting the original amendment written into the contract.
Live and learn eh? |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
|