Job Discussion Forums

[cornishmuppet]

I`ve just left my job at an eikawa where I worked for 18 months under two different bosses. I didn`t have a particularly good time but I did my best and I did everything by the book. They weren`t sad to see me go but then I wasn`t sad to leave either, but I treated them as fairly as I could and I hoped that they would treat me with the same respect just for the last few days.

Then... after thoroughly cleaning my appartment I left it in practically mint condition, with all of the original items left behind, plus one or two bits and bobs that would help out the new teacher, and absolutely no damage.

And then I get an email from my boss, after I`ve left the company saying that 5k will be deducted from my final salary for missing kitchenware. When I complain that nothing was missing, I am told that because no inventory for the appartment existed, the previous boss was called and he (whom I never got on with and left on bad terms from) that there should have been a load of pots and pans and enough plates and cutlery for four. Now, this is an outright LIE. And If I see my old boss around I`ll have a few things to say, or worse. There are perhaps a dozen people or more who have eaten at my house who can vouch for what I say, yet I end up being regarded as a thief.

In addition, on inspection - which was done AFTER the new teacher had moved in and while I wasn`t even present, a broken pane of glass in the internal partition door was found, and I was blamed for that too.

However. The new teacher, a far nobler man than the school deserves, offered to pay for the replacements, `in the hope of a speedy transistion`. That the school didn`t have a single legal leg to stand on in charging me for these didn`t seem to matter, and my boss implied to me by email that I had put the new teacher out of pocket by 30k. Quite how the cost of replacing the kitchenware that never existed jumped from 5k to 18k is beyond me. What was it, gold plated?

I am an honest person and because I didn`t want bad blood between me and the new teacher, because I`m staying in the same city, I paid half for the glass, even though I know I didn`t break it. And so after 18 months of hard work I left the school with the implication that I was a thief and liar hanging over my head. Despite getting bagfuls of presents and cards (and tears!) from the students - to prove that at least for them I was doing a good job - I didn`t even get a leaving card from my school, just an insulting packet of cheap biscuits. One of the two co-owners even blanked me on my last day, very mature of him.

I just want to know what it is about eikawas; is it some kind of status acquisition for the boss to screw the teacher over for something at the end of their contract? My old boss did the same - cancelling my company phone when the school was sold without giving me the option to change it into my name, and then taking the disconnection fee out of my salary.

I have no intention of naming the school in question (if my boss reads this he will know who he is and he should be ashamed of himself) and I know a lot of people have had much worse experiences. In the great scheme of things I didn`t really lose a lot, just got branded a few names and treated pretty badly, but its never happened to me in any other jobs that I`ve had in other countries, in any profession. What is it about Japan?

Anyway, sorry, just had to vent that. For the record, I absolutely love my new job, working in a Junior High School. I never thought I`d enjoy a job in teaching quite so much.

[Brooks]

blanked?

[J.]

I've heard about this happening from at least two other people I knew, this despite the fact that all the things in the apartment were left by other teachers, not the school owner. I think it is a typical "squeeze". I don't see how it can be legal if there was no inventory done when you moved in, and then it was done again after you left, but I think this is one of the things schools do just because they can. They know that teachers are in relatively weak bargaining positions unless they are part of a union, and even then they usually make the amount small enough so that individuals don't feel it is worth their time to fight over.

However, the next time you get an apartment from an employer, if you do, make sure that there is a detailed inventory done on moving in, in your presence, and that you both sign, and also one done before you leave. Make sure you are picky about adding in every little scratch and defect and get a copy. That will put them on notice that you won't be easy to "squeeze" later.

[cornishmuppet]

Brooks, `blanked` is UK slang for ignored!

J., I know what you mean about the small amount thing. While I would have kicked up a stink I probably wouldn`t have wasted my time going legal. As it was, although I moved out of the appartment a few days early, they still charged me a full months rent even though they previously told me they would reduce it. I just let it go, I was done arguing. Funny how in most jobs its the teacher who gets the leaving bonus, not the school. There really are some cowboys out there, and I`m just glad I`ve finally escaped from mine.

As for new school appartments, I`ll certainly remember to get it sorted in future, though at the moment I`m working for the Board of Education so had to rent privately. Even though I had to pay a bit of key money (not too much, as I found my landlord through a friend) it feels way better than living on the end of a school`s leash. I honestly feel like I`ve just got out of prison. Not that I know what that feels like of course!

[cornishmuppet]

Brooks, `blanked` is UK slang for ignored!

J., I know what you mean about the small amount thing. While I would have kicked up a stink I probably wouldn`t have wasted my time going legal. As it was, although I moved out of the appartment a few days early, they still charged me a full months rent even though they previously told me they would reduce it. I just let it go, I was done arguing. Funny how in most jobs its the teacher who gets the leaving bonus, not the school. There really are some cowboys out there, and I`m just glad I`ve finally escaped from mine.

As for new school appartments, I`ll certainly remember to get it sorted in future, though at the moment I`m working for the Board of Education so had to rent privately. Even though I had to pay a bit of key money (not too much, as I found my landlord through a friend) it feels way better than living on the end of a school`s leash. I honestly feel like I`ve just got out of prison. Not that I know what that feels like of course!