Job Discussion Forums

Sally Vaite · Joined: 30 Jul 2006 Posts: 27 Location: Izmir

I needed some advice. Do you think it is normal for a manager to keep the only copy of your contract? I always thought it was standard business practice for BOTH parties of a signed agreement to keep a copy. Is this normal in Turkey or should I be worried?

Also one manager of a private school in Izmir told a friend of mine that since the contract was NOT in Turkish, it wasn't really valid. Is this true? I would think most newbies would think twice about signing a contract in a language they couldnt read. In any case, the manager was able to use the contract ( as legitimate) to fire teachers that had not "fufilled the terms". It all seems a bit shady. Any advice?

thrifty · Joined: 25 Apr 2006 Posts: 1665 Location: chip van

Take it or leave it. Contracts in reality are unenforcable. Forget about what language and who has copies.

The biggest chain of language schools in Istanbul gives contracts but then employs almost all their teachers without work permits-do you think their contracts are enforcable?

billybuzz · Joined: 05 Jan 2006 Posts: 219 Location: turkey

Hi Sally ,would you like to share the name of the manager or the name of the high school with us ?

Sally Vaite · Joined: 30 Jul 2006 Posts: 27 Location: Izmir

Hello Billy
My question was only about teaching contracts in general and not about one private english course or school per se. I wanted to know whether this is standard practice in Turkey. I personally have never heard of a contract in which the management keeps the only copy so I just needed to know whether this would be considered common or dodgey.

billybuzz · Joined: 05 Jan 2006 Posts: 219 Location: turkey

Ok Sal ,your right you should have a copy and insisting on that should be a priority if they can't do that for you look for a get out clause .It is decidely dodgy and there should also be a copy of the contract in a language that you CAN understand .

Sally Vaite · Joined: 30 Jul 2006 Posts: 27 Location: Izmir

I hope you didn't get the wrong idea. The contract itself was in English but the manager stated that Turkish law doesnt recognise any contract that is not in Turkish, therefore the contract is not offically valid in Turkey. In effect, any teacher would have no legal recourse after signing such a contract. Surely, this cannot be accurate.
By the way, thanks so much for your advice Billy.

molly farquharson · Joined: 16 Jun 2004 Posts: 839 Location: istanbul

my Turkish lawyer says that contracts can be in any language as long as both parties understand it. You should definitely have a copy of it. Re the illegality, most teachers at most schools start off on a tourist visa and then it becomes a work visa. Since thrifty is not working in Turkey and has never worked at that big language school, he does not know the current situation.

thrifty · Joined: 25 Apr 2006 Posts: 1665 Location: chip van

Thrifty confirms that he works in Turkey and that he works at the biggest chain of language schools in Turkey.

Thrifty also confirms that he knows the current situation which is that very few of the teachers at the biggest chain of language schools have work permits and most work on 3 month tourist visas for the duration of their employment. Hence whether they have a copy of their ''contract'' or not, or whatever language it is in, makes no difference as they are working illegally and without any recourse to the courts.

dmb · Joined: 12 Feb 2003 Posts: 8397

dmb would like to know if Thrifty bumped into Ghost on holiday and hence the use of 3rd person singular- obviously in a no star pensiyon as that is all EFL teachers can afford

thrifty · Joined: 25 Apr 2006 Posts: 1665 Location: chip van

If the third person is good enough for Ghost then it is good enough for thrifty.

molly farquharson · Joined: 16 Jun 2004 Posts: 839 Location: istanbul

i say again that thrifty does not work for and never has worked for that big language school. neither did ekmek parasi, 31, or mark loyd.

as far as the work permits go, unfortunately that is true of all language schools. we are trying to rectify it, but if any of you have worked with the Turkish bureaucracy, you know how hard it is. slow....

thrifty · Joined: 25 Apr 2006 Posts: 1665 Location: chip van

Thrifty confirms again that he does work for the aforementioned chain of schools. Thrifty cannot confirm or deny whether those others work or have worked there.

Search the previous poster's posts and you will see that she has been promising work permits for years but has never delivered. Odd that other employers are able to deliver.

Sally Vaite · Joined: 30 Jul 2006 Posts: 27 Location: Izmir

How is this related to my original question? I may not agree with thifty's comment but I simply asked for advice and didn't ask for a CV from each of the posters. I am intelligent enough to take every poster's comment with equal consideration.
Please start your own threads to have your bitch fights. I was looking for information.

corall · Joined: 23 Apr 2004 Posts: 270 Location: istanbul, turkey

if i may answer the question.

i don't think that any contract can be enforced if there is no work visa no matter what language. however, i think a reputible private school will give you a copy of your contract in english as well. for the work visa however, i do think that the contract must be in turkish as it is part of the paperwork need to get a work visa. i guess i am a bit unclear as to if you have a work visa or not.

Sally Vaite · Joined: 30 Jul 2006 Posts: 27 Location: Izmir

Let me see if I can remember what I was told. Apparently there was only one contract which the management kept in his office. It was in English. No copies were made or were allowed to be made. After signing the teacher could see the contract only by request to the management. Is this a standard practice? The comment was made that since the contract is not in Turkish, no court would recognise it if there was a dispute about the terms.

The only way around this -- if it is true--would be to have two contracts one in English and one in Turkish. ( Presumably with a professional legal translator at your side since the contract doesnt leave the office!) As far as I can see, the contract itself serves no real purpose except for the employer since the signer cannot, apparently, obtain any legal benefit from it.

As far as work permits. The usual arrangement runs like this.. "Just go ahead and sign the contract and then we can begin the process of applying for your work permit." That can take up to and over six months. During this time, naturally, the teacher is working illegally. So, a teacher at the contract acceptance time, must rely only on the good faith of his new boss. I do believe that is quite normal but this is also the point where newbies get trapped in a bad situation. Am I just being too cynical?