Job Discussion Forums

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

They are all bottom of the barrel.

teacherdude · Joined: 13 Sep 2004 Posts: 260

nicoletteines · Joined: 11 Jun 2006 Posts: 9 Location: Seattle, WA, USA

Who pays over 1500 YTL and do they also cover housing?

We really need a rent-free apartment, and some of the other places that have talked with us (english center, SDM english, bilge adam) don't offer a flat or rent allowance...

TeachEnglish · Joined: 09 Feb 2005 Posts: 239

Berlitz used to offer an apartment or rent allowance. They used to offer about $400 dollars to travel back to your home country after you finish your first year and 2 weeks of paid holiday leave. If you want to get your work papers, they will handle most of the paperwork and you will pay about half. It can be expensive. They used to pay you 1/2 of your travel cost, as long as it was cheap, like by bus, when you have to do a border run. They did not pay for your hotel stay. Whatever is the cheapest, they might pay. Pelin is no longer there. She, like everyone else, got tired of Solmaz's crap. Don't expect any health insurance. They used to have a group policy that you could pay for yourself. I don't know if it or any of the other conditions still exist. If you can work at the Suadiye branch, go cause he is not around there much. Your teaching experience will be less stressful. When he is around, the moral of teachers and staff is low and gloomy. Good luck

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

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

nutella · Joined: 24 Jul 2006 Posts: 10

...... you need to scroll up a few. All questions are answered. Cool

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

No, nothing about the lack of morals.

teacherdude · Joined: 13 Sep 2004 Posts: 260

teacherdude · Joined: 13 Sep 2004 Posts: 260

nutella · Joined: 24 Jul 2006 Posts: 10

Here's the final chapter of Berlitz and me. I had given notice and was winding up my time with a wonderful private student who just wanted to learn English. She studied, she utilized her lessons and made it evident that she could use what was learned from her previous level. Everything was good.

Came the time to fill out my time sheet with lessons taught, oral tests given and this time I lost hours for about a two week period because of student vacations and so on. (I am full time so I am guaranteed hours, I was told 20 hours a week but I was to make myself available for up to 40 hours a week and, my first pay and subsequent pays were always based on what I did weekly.) I reminded Berlitz like I was supposed to that I was falling under 20 hours per week and my office manager smiled at me and said, "so, you are full time so you get paid". The first part of the month I was still working a lot of overtime. I was at 50 hours a week. I listed the hours owed on a separate line like I did when I had to list travel time and such. I got the time card in early in case there were questions or problems.

A few days from payday the HR manager, a professional liar by trade, called and asked me what the hours under 'Berlitz contract' were all about. After I responded he said that I wasn't guaranteed 20 hours a week but 80 hours a month. My pay had never been calculated this way up to that point. I said "what are you saying" and he side stepped around the conversation to it wasn't necessary for me to list my hours because they would take care of it. I calculated my pay each month, I always knew what I got and I said "as long as it comes out the same". It didn't and I was shorted a mite over 300 ytl.

What this means is they are a lawless organization that changes the rules, that do not really exist, when they choose, without concern for consequence. The overtime that is worked is not secure. A teacher's list of duties is broken down by week. When it comes to pay, Solmaz does what he wants. If he was simply a control freak, Berlitz would be a nice place to work. They 100 percent fraudulently represented themselves which is what they do to everyone as I found out from another teacher just coming on board. I gave her the skinny on them and wished her luck. Another friend who is starting his own business, an internet language \ translation organization, and who will be leaving them soon himself, was promised a full time contract if he quit his part time time position and just worked for Berlitz. He said ok and they didn't give him a contract.

They owe me over 1000 ytl from the exchange that hasn''t and won't ever be acknowledged. If you choose to work for Berlitz Istanbul I'd keep in close contact with your Embassy. Mr. Green

TeachEnglish · Joined: 09 Feb 2005 Posts: 239

Well, that sounds like Berlitz Nutella... They are known to short pay... and break their own rules.. etc.. It can be a nice place to work.. but when it involves the old wolf... it gets messy.. I suggest discussing it with the HR puppet... and mention that the way they do business would be an interesting topic of conversation for the authorities that issue work permits. Twisted Evil

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

nutella · Joined: 24 Jul 2006 Posts: 10

I had intended to inform a couple of organizations when I was a safe distance from Berlitz. The more the merrier....... Cool

Bogazicibaby · Joined: 22 May 2003 Posts: 68 Location: Istanbul

I work an entire year for Berlitz and even though my husband knew the owner, he told me to be careful and I ended up getting shafted, just like everyone else that I worked with. The owner is not a nice man and I think h is evil incarnate. He lied to me about paying for going to the states for my work permit. I heard him say several times that the students were stupid and lazy. A very strange way to refer to your bread and butter. His area is finance and never has and never will have anything to do with education. He is a control freak and could have a great place if he would treat his teachers and office workers better.
I heard that some things did get better after I was gone but the only good thing I got out of it all was good friends.
By control freak I mean that he even wants to control who you hang out with on your own time.........ie it should never ever be someone who previously worked there.
I fulfilled my contract but his side was never fulfilled. I was told things that later turned out to be untrue.
I wouldn't want to work there again if I had to. I"m much happier where I am now. No control freaks and I don't have to pass students if they don't do the work nor do I get yelled at for what I do.