Job Discussion Forums

rcs employee · Joined: 10 Aug 2006 Posts: 1

Stay away from RCS corporation.

The company is corrupt to the core. They are cheats and liars and they do not care about the health or wellbeing of their teachers.

My experience working for them was nothing but torturous. I signed a contract stating that they would provide support and assistance of any kind at any time related to the rigours of being a non japanese speaking person living in Japan. When I arrived (after paying my own airfare), I was told that I would need to pay over 200 000 yen to move into my appartment. The appartment was completely unfurnished. I had to buy everything myself, from money that I needed to lend from the company. After waiting two months for my first paycheck, a large ammount of money was subtracted from it for dubious reasons. I had to find that the initial ammount that I was told that I was lending from the company had been increased by about 45000 yen without notice and without any concrete reason.

This incident was just one in a series of disasterous misconducts on their part. I had numerous friends working for the company and not one of them was satisfied with the treatment that they were given. When a friend of mine fell seriously ill, she was made to go to work, with the threat of not being paid. Money being something we were all in serious need of, due to being lied to and cheated by RCS. They provide no support and care nothing for their teachers. A business policy that makes no sense whatsoever and that will certainly lead to their downfall.

I just want to put this information out there, as it is something that I would like to have known before I signed a contract with such a disreputable company. I know there are many bad companies out there and it is just a risk you sometimes need to take. But be warned. RCS is one of the worst.

supervisor133 · Joined: 24 Oct 2006 Posts: 35 Location: Australia

While I don't know about this company specifically, it's worth pointing out that many eikawas (if that is what this company is) require you to pay your own airfare. In addition, I've heard of a few places, from big to small, that won't pay you if you take a sick day.

It seems odd that they didn't tell you you would have to pay for the apartment (was this key money or the first month's rent?). Guess you have to chalk that one up to experience and make sure you ask all the right questions before departure next time.

Lending you money and then charging interest seems pretty dodgy though.

Serendipity · Joined: 14 Oct 2005 Posts: 36

Really sorry to hear about your experience - especially seeing as it's your first experience in Japan.

I too have experience with RCS (a despatch company). I went through all their interviews and was finally offered a position, although they refused to tell me where the school was, how much I would be paid and various other key details: "We will let you know after you accept".

"Aha, is that right. Seeee ya."

They were a nice bunch and pretty convincing to boot, but something was "a bit fishy".

Despach companies, as I have slowly come to realise, are best to be avoided. Never mind the fact that they are technically trading illegally.

anh · Joined: 04 Jan 2007 Posts: 22 Location: USA

ripslyme · Joined: 29 Jan 2005 Posts: 481 Location: Japan

TokyoLiz · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1548 Location: Tokyo, Japan

Dude, you had a rough time.

sallycat · Joined: 11 Mar 2006 Posts: 303 Location: behind you. BOO!

"borrow", not "lend".

TokyoLiz · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1548 Location: Tokyo, Japan

Sallycat wrote

Alberta605 · Joined: 23 Dec 2006 Posts: 94 Location: Japan

I think the idea of the fast-paced, dynamic despatch company certainly gets into the heads of the employees there. I had an interview with Interac a couple of years ago. The interview was so brisk I thought she was going to ask the next question before I'd even started the last one. Neither did she say 'ANSWER!!! VAT!? VAT!?' in a German Gestapo officer voice...but all would have seemed appropriate if she had.

furiousmilksheikali

J. · Joined: 03 May 2003 Posts: 327

It always seems strange to me that when yet another poor person has gotten duped and abused in the very iffy eikaiwa business here, people who are already here jump down their throats for not knowing about the scams in advance. You can do all the homework you like, but a lot of these things are only learned by sad experience after you get here. I'd like to join in saying thank you to the OP, and sorry for your rotten experience.

And I do get sick days at my company, admittedly not an eikaiwa; they are called flexible "time off". Everyone is entitled to several days a year, whether a full time or part time worker.And the number increases with the number of years with the company. I would surmise that those teachers working when they were very ill were just being overly conscientious. I certainly can't condone any place making someone undergoing cancer treatment work on the days they are ill. That's just wrong.

Given that working conditions are often so poor here, I would recommend joining the General Union as soon as possible. They may be able to do something when companies step over the line, and at the very least they know and will tell you your rights.

guest of Japan · Joined: 28 Feb 2003 Posts: 1601 Location: Japan

I think the comment "do you homework" by Tokyoliz was about regular business practices in Japan, not scams. Except for the strange interest deduction, there was nothing unusual described in the OP.

furiousmilksheikali · Posted: Sat Jan 20, 2007 3:53 pm Post subject:

TokyoLiz · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1548 Location: Tokyo, Japan

Guest of Japan, Furiousmilksheik, et al.,

That's just it - except for the really dubious deductions taken from the OP's salary (truly eggregious and likely totally illegal), all of the things that s/he describes as tortuous are just regular Japanese life issues, not issues that you can ascribe to the company's failures.

The biggest failure of companies like RCS and other recruiters is the way they fail to inform candidates of where to find accurate information. I've seen teachers take initiative to network information (and sometimes foment rebellion). More power to them.

Sure, this forum is the place to keep your peers informed of shady practices, but we can't blame difficult and expensive start-up costs on the hiring company.

Maupin · Joined: 07 Feb 2007 Posts: 1

A friend who is considering working for RCS knew I worked for them, and referred me here and asked me if my experiences or those of anyone I know match the experience of "rcs employee" above.

I have worked for RCS for almost 4 years, and would never call them cheats or liars, though I did hear that they recently fired one or more disreputable managers. Basically they're a small company that grew large very quickly. They've got a few great people working for them, a few not so good, but most fall in the category of decent and ordinary.

The only beef I've ever had with the company is when I first came to Japan, and I needed an apartment. They had a list of Leo Palace places (cheap, but cramped as you all no doubt know) available, or I was free to look for my own place. I found a nice apartment, which in the long run would have been cheaper than any of the Leo Palace places in the town I was going to be teaching in, but the key money/upfront costs were higher. Since I was borrowing money from RCS, they vetoed the more expensive upfront fee and I had to take a Leo Palace. But it was their money so I couldn't be too upset.

I've also seen them hire people WAY too quickly in the beginning of April when someone has signed on as an employee, been approved at the city hall/school, and then vanishes or informs the company they decided to work for someone else. That leaves the company desperate to fill a vacancy, and they hire someone without a proper interview because they need to fulfill their contract with the city/school in question. I understand their position, but I think there's gotta be a better way.

Anyway, it sounds like "rcs employee" didn't have a cheaper apartment available in his/her town, so had to go with a more expensive one. Of course that will take longer to pay back... If you come to Japan with almost zero money and start working for any dispatch company, you will be in the red for a few months.

As for the other things mentioned, I've never heard of anyone being forced to teach when sick, or had money deducted that wasn't explained. I've known at least 20 or 30 RCS employees over the years, and of course there was a lot of typical employee griping. But the most concrete complaint I ever heard from anyone was that RCS was cheap when it came to repairing the cars they rent to employees who have to drive. Could be true - I have no intention to ever drive in Japan so I don't know.

RCS did help me out when my apartment was broken into and my laptop stolen. I speak Japanese semi-fluently, but filling out insurance forms and going through the hassle of trying to get that money was beyond me. They really came through and I was paid for the stolen computer (unfortunately the current value, not the purchase price!!) and my window replaced.

Basically, I'm sure you can do better than RCS, and I'm sure you can do worse. But they won't cheat you, and if it seems like they don't care about your well-being or aren't helpful, keep on them. They're probably just busy helping someone else with bigger problems than you.