Job Discussion Forums

[sumyunguy]

I was applying to work for ECC (from the US), and they told me I'd have to take a full medical exam if my application was accepted--and I'd have to pay for it. I understand their reasoning, and no doubt it's not huge money, but still, just the same, I'd rather not.

Anyone know if this is standard? For, say, GEOS, where I was also thinking of applying?

[Angelfish]

Geos also make you take the medical, but they reimburse you for it. I missed out last year because I hadn't been there long enough. I think Geos do their's sometime in July. It's not really a bit deal. I think they just do the usual height, weight, blood, urine, occasional X-ray, eye test kinda thing.

[Grasshopper]

Its been standard to have a medical exam at the few places I`ve been employed, and also went I went to university here. And sometimes I`ve had to pay for it, and sometimes I haven`t.

It seems to be more of a formality than anything else...for me, one of the inconveniences I`ve learned to live with in Japan. And not such a bad idea I guess if I did have a medical problem.

G.

[Dipso]

There's no medical required for Aeon. I was offered one when I renewed my contract, but it was optional and the company paid.

[sethness]

The 2 Eikaiwa that I've worked for during the past 6 years have NOT required a health test.

On the other hand, as I understand it Japan's government requires employers to make their employees go for a comprehensive health checkup, including chest X-rays, stool (poop) testing, vision, and hearing tests. The employer even supplies the stool-testing kit. I was required (by a non-eikaiwa employer) to take one of these last Autumn.

Dunno if my ex-employers were just ducking a responsibility, or if eikaiwas or smallish schools are exempt from this requirement... ?

On a sinister note, my employer wanted some very intrusive access to my health records, and pushed until I said I'd consult a lawyer. You are NOT legally required by Japan's gov't to share your medical information with your employer, though you must give the employer some sort of receipt or other proof to show that you got the health-checkup.

Protect your rights. Japanese employers frequently don't know when to back the hell off, because Japanese employees are usually very submissive and accomodating. Do you really want your employer to know things about your health-- say, if you have AIDS, are pregnant, have a heart condition controlled through medication, smoked marijuana last year, etc. ?

I've even heard of employers who asked a woman at a job interview what type of contraceptive she was using, because they worried that the over-30 woman might suddenly want to quit and go be a hausfrau.

Also beware of employers who ask your blood-type on an application. In Asia, people will often genuinely believe in a bloodtype -to- personality type correlation similar to astrology in America. If you're as offended by this silliness as I am, when an employer asks your blood type, answer "red", "none-o-yo-business", or "I don't know." Otherwise you may find yourself prejudged by something as absurd as "Oh, you're a Capricorn...?"

[scorchio]

I'm with ECC and had to have the medical exam before coming over. i think it's a visa requirement, rather than an ECC thing (you know, to make sure you don't have tuburculosis or something). It would be nice if they paid for it, but then again, they don't pay for your flight over or the cost of getting to the interview.

After you have been here for 12 months you are then eligible for yearly check ups paid for by ECC.

My view is that going through the application process and getting over here to work with ECC is a big financial commitment, but they take care of you pretty well once you are here. I don't know much about GEOS, but I would definitely pay for a medical exam to get a job at ECC than not get one and end up at NOVA. /end rant

[timmyjames1976]

my school didn't ask...

[Dipso]

I have also worked for Shane and there was no medical requirement there either.

I had a medical before I went on JET however and I had to pay for it myself. My doctor said that some of the blood tests were not at all standard in Britain and that he didn't think the lab would do them on the NHS without due cause. My local hospital is the largest teaching hospital in Europe, btw.

[sumyunguy]

Thanks for the response. So I guess it is pretty standard, at least at the major schools (though I'm to understand not at NOVA?)

[scorchio]

Sorry, I dont' actually know about Nova's policy on medical exams. I just meant that for me the prospect of not having to pay for a medical exam is not something that would necessarily change my preferences for an employer. Sorry for the confusion.

Good luck with your applications!

[sunnylv051114]

I believe with Nova you just need a letter from your family Doctor stating that you are in good health...at least that is all they required from us when we applied in June/July 2006.

[seastarr]

That was all I needed for Nova in 2005 as well...I think this is more for their medical insurance. Once you are hired, they never ask for anything medical again. I also knew some teachers that developed serious medical problems while in Japan and Nova didnt require any record of that.

[Dipso]

My understanding is that if you are going to work in a public school (ie as an ALT or similar) then you are required to have a medical to ensure that you do not have a communicable condition such as TB.

As neither Aeon nor Nova require a medical before employment commences, it presumably isn't a legal necessity for eikaiwa teachers.

There is an interesting old thread here which touches on the thorny issue of privacy and medicals in Japan:

http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/job/viewtopic.php?t=9166