Job Discussion Forums

[patsy]

What exactly are their responsibilities and do they do them? The two we have here are never in their office, do not return phone calls or often do not even answer them. The only time we hear from them is when they need our passport for some reason or to demand we sing and dance in some sort of "program". At the present it is so annoying as we are still living in a hostel with no phone or internet so sometimes need assistance but they are gone. In two months, they have not connected with us one time regarding when we can move back to our toppled apt's or to show any concern about the crappy arrnagements. I want to report these two clowns at the end of my time here, or is this normal behaviour for FAO's? thanks.

[lostinasia]

I'm curious...report them to who exactly?

An FAO is hardly a real job title and they barely have responsibilities - I believe it's more of a default job for some people.

I agree with you though. While I have had general good-luck with my foreign affairs department I have had issues too. You are not alone, believe that.

[tw]

I believe their responsibilities and duties include:

- Recruiting, hiring and if necessary, firing of FT's
- Respond to any and all complaints and concerns FT's might have
- Pay the FT's on time
- Process the FTs' RPF and FEC
- Inform FT's of any and all classroom schedules affected by national holidays

[clark.w.griswald]

I think that what you have described is pretty typcial Chinese employee mentality. It differs from the west and can certainly be very frustrating but is not necessarily wrong - especially in the eyes of many Chinese.

If you are working legally and are at a SAFEA recognized school then you could lodge a complaint with SAFEA. Complaints do go against schools and can effect their future SAFEA status if there are enough of them so it is worth making one even if it is not a serious issue.

The biggest problem is seeing any real change is getting the FAO's superiors to understand what it is that they are doing wrong. I am pretty sure that many Chinese would consider the FAO's behavior to be normal work behavior and they can't really reprimand someone for doing their job as they see it.

[danswayne]

Your school does not have a real Foreign Affairs office, Gao is in charge of something else not sure what it was five years ago but probably the same thing now too. Your FAO office is probably one of the worst in Changsha and you should visit #1 Shaoshan before you leave that way you might get what should be given.

[cj750]

[HunanForeignGuy]

I have told Patsy this time-and-time again but somehow she just can't get it together.

1. The Foreign Expert's Office in ChangSha is one of the most PROACTIVE that I have known in China. They are actually nice people as compared to the rest of the sh*ts I have known elsewhere.

2. As DansWayne said, go visit them. You should have launched a complaint along time ago instead of doing what you are doing. Your case has dragged on on this board for nearly one year now and there has been no movement.

3. As I told Patsy, we had a similar incident in my uni in ChangSha where one teacher was given substandard housing. She fought with the uni long enough and then when to the Foreign Expert's Office. After some insisting, they actually visited her apartment, and then frankly ordered the school to do something very quickly. The unit didn't like it, but they did comply very quickly. And this FT is still at the uni.

4. So, Patsy, very respectfully to you, either stop the complaining and go do something -- I mean one year is long enough -- or pull a runner and go get a better job. There is just something in your story that is starting not to add up, and I can't figure it out.

[patsy]

"Hunan Foreign Guy" I'm glad you are so clever. I'd like to see you go through a year at this school OR even lodge a complaint with the right people and see any action taken. I don't think you should be so judgemental. Maybe I haven't taken perfect action, but I'm sure you're not perfect either.