Job Discussion Forums

[lajzar]

I had a phone interview with Nova last week. More for practice than a serious intent to apply, given their rep and my disinclination to make a promise when I don't believe I will keep it. But one thing struck me as odd.

The interviewer said the first year is a probabtionary period. For the first year, there are no paid holidays, and no sick days either for that matter.

Is that actually legal in Japan? Surely they have to offer you something?

[David W]

Sounds like NOVA living up to its NO VAcation image. Actually I think the probation period is only 3 months at NOVA. Guy obviously got mixed up. Probably wishful thinking on Noca's part though. I'm sure they'd keep you chained up in the classroom if they thought they could get away with it.

[Guest]

I didn't work for NOVA, but I worked for GEOS and can confirm they do not give you sick days. Going to work ill (and also students coming to class ill) is quite common in Japan. Apart from the Japanese ethic of not letting the team down they also have something called gaman, which roughly translates as endurance, or put up or shut up. Not sure about holidays at NOVA, but we had a week at Golden Week, a week at New Year and ten other days. I really doubt that NOVA don't give you any though I suppose they could be unpaid.

[Glenski]

Snipped directly from the NOVA home page:


http://www.teachinjapan.com/Benefits.htm
New instructors enjoy 10 days of personal paid vacation in their first contract in addition to approximately 8-9 days over the New Year break.

http://www.teachinjapan.com/Compensation.htm
Nova guarantees a minimum monthly salary of �250,000 (�259,000 in the Tokyo area) increasing to the levels indicated below upon successful completion of your initial 2 month training period.
(The bold and underline are mine, not NOVA's.)

[lajzar]

[genkiT]

Yes, it's true. Nova will pay you for National holidays as you are required to work on those days unless they fall on your regularly scheduled days off. They do give you 8/9 paid days off over new years if you are a full time teacher. If you are part time they don't pay. GenkiT

[nakanoalien2]

I don't think this "benefit" has changed since 1998-99 when I worked at Nova.

10 paid days off per year. You are required to give 30 days off in order to take a paid day off (not sure if the manager has any discretion in lessening the 30 day requirement)

Sick Days - if you can schedule being sick 30 days in advance, I suppose you get paid sick days. Seriously though, if you call out sick, you simply don't get paid that day. It is definitely frowned upon. The bonus is - if you call out sick past a certain deadline, you not only lose the pay, but you get a penalty fee subtracted from your salary. Example: I worked 13:00 to 21:00. I called out at 11:15 and the deadline for that shift was 11, so I didn't get paid and I was penalized around 3000 yen? Can't remember exactly - 1998. Hey - let's make $$$ from our teachers too! The Nova spin on this is that they may have to cancel lessons because you aren't there, but there are so many teachers out there that will swap shifts or work overtime, that this is highly unlikely.

New Year's - It was not 8/9 days. There aren't 8 or 9 national holidays at NYs anyway. I believe it was around 5 days? If the 5 days are sandwiched b/t your weekend, then I suppose that would add up to 9 days - but obviously that's a little misleading.

The sad thing about Nova and basically all the big schools is that you are recruited with this idea that you are going learn so much about Japanese culture and mix with Japanese. But in Japan, most people have the weekends off, while you have off during the week. And you end up working during alot of the matsuri, so you miss alot.