Job Discussion Forums

[Ping Jing]

How ironic, I may wind up being a rat. But, the way I see it, a rat is someone who tattles on their friend. My employer has been, but is not now my friend.

Recently I was informed that beginning tomorrow a 100 kuai levy would be imposed on "male foreign teachers who do not adhere to the dress code" (paraphrase).

The message directly stated that the company dress code would be enforced. I won't lay out the specifics, but some discrepancies arise in wording. It is with those that I now plan my aggress.

I have a plan, but need some help in discovering pertinent information. How can I access SAFEA (?) regulations? I'm under the impression that they pertain to China.

Thanks for any help.

PJ

[HunanForeignGuy]

[jwbhomer]

It would be good to request a sticky for the SAFEA regulations. Useful.

[lostinasia]

My previous employer wanted to do a similar thing -- I wholeheartedly fought against them and eventually made it clear that financial penalties against me must be in a contractual form - not just some so-called new "corporate policy"

I made it clear that I would not agree to such penalties, since a contract must specify financial penalties - they of course argued that my contract said I must follow the rules of the institution - but since financial penalties are not "rules" per se I would not agree - making it clear that the contract would have to be altered to allow such items - since I disagreed, I would not agree to a change in my contract (requiring mutual consent) - and that if they made such a change without my consent that they would then be in violation and need to pay me $2000 for breach of contract ...

The subsided in such a financial penalty clause for the issue

[vikuk]

I suppose it's usually the mills that take on these dress-codes - trying to dress the monkeys to look the part.
But maybe this is another penalty that results from their game of hunting after white traveling flotsam - and then trying to present it, to the paying customers, as expert teaching staff. Probably a tie or two may fool a few of the naive students into happily coughing-up for week or two - but in the long term, if the school was more focused on presenting good looking teachers than quality education, then I doubt, even the best Armani suites would make that much difference to overall educational standards

By the way for those who argue in following type of way: example � in the field of corporate training dress is important �I could argue � then why not use teachers who come from this sector and normally understand/follow the corporate dress code norms!!!!! (of course I know the answer - education here is all about money - and spending extra on qualification is something many education companies wish to avoid)

[lostinasia]

I work and only have worked in universities ---

I'm from the philosophy that the appearance doesn't make the teacher ...

There is of course a certain level of hygiene involved, and I believe that a certain standard is appropriate for working - but how people believe a suit is more professional than Chinese/Foreigners coming to work just putrified with the stench of cigarettes and/or lunch time beer just berates me

[vikuk]

[KidfromBrooklyn]

What specifically is "the dress code"

What requirements are you fighting so desperatly?

[Ping Jing]

HFG, Aggress = attack. It was the word of the day at www.dictionary.com

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source
ag�gress /əˈgrɛs/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[uh-gres] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
�verb (used without object) 1. to commit the first act of hostility or offense; attack first.
2. to begin to quarrel.
�verb (used with object) 3. to behave aggressively toward; attack (often fol. by upon): wild animals aggressing their prey.


I work at a mill. My contract states that a tie must be worn when teaching. Generally speaking, the school lets us slide. But, now they want to enforce the contract and then added to the deal a fine.

The contract doesn't state that fines/docked pay would occur if the teacher is not dressed appropriately. That's my beef. My contract says that any changes/modifications must be mutually agreed upon.

After a chat today, I was encouraged to wear a tie when I do the DEMO class for prospective students. Image.

[shuize]

I find it amusing how so many ESL/EFL teachers work so hard to try and convince anyone who will listen that they are "professionals" and yet fight tooth and nail when their employers actually ask them to dress professionally.

[vikuk]

[jeffinflorida]

I worked at a mill and the dress code was tie etc... But then I noticed the other monkies did not wear ties and some actually wore jeans and t shirts so i dressed down.

But the truth is the mills want the monkies to look nice, not just look white...

[tw]

Personally, I don't have a problem with dress codes, just as long as they are reasonable. For example, I wouldn't wear a sport coat or blazer to teach a class where I have to use chalk and blackboard, let alone a suit -- especially when it's 30 degrees outside. However, if the teaching is done in a carpeted classroom with marker and whiteboard, then that's another matter. The only time I was told about dress codes was when I had just started teaching at the college in Hohhot. After a couple days of going to classes wearing shorts and sandals (with socks) because of the heat, a Mongolian teacher told me that the school had a no-shorts-no-sandals policy. However, as far as college and teaching jobs go, no other schools had ever cared what I wore -- not that I'd been going to classes looking like a bum.

[clark.w.griswald]

Ping Jing other than this issue of the tie are you otherwise happy with the position? If so then my advice would be to just wear the tie.

From what I understand in your contract you agreed to wear a tie so if you refuse to wear one then you can be held in breach and your employer could end your contract.

I don't see that any of this has much to do with SAFEA regulations and whether or not wearing a tie is a legal requirement. It is a requirement under your contact as I understand it and if you refuse to follow the contract then you could be considered in breach.

Your point about the fine for not wearing the tie seems to be a valid one, afterall the employer cannot just decide that they are going to add to the contract, and if indeed they do deduct fines for you not wearing a tie then I believe that you could argue that point and get a win.

However in arguing that point and stating that you refused to wear a tie and were unfairly fined for that, the employer may just point to the clause where you agreed to wear a tie. Any third party could quite reasonably consider that breach and reason enough for the employer to get rid of you.

Do you have a problem with wearing a tie per se or is this a matter of feeling that you are being railroaded?

[vikuk]

To tell you the truth I�m often confused by the purpose of these fines � are they used a tool to persuade the FT to hold to the rules (do our employers really care about rules � if so, why do they often break so many of them with regard to our employment) � or maybe they�re another means of docking wages (and into whose pocket does this money go). In the distant past I experienced mysterious smallish reductions in my wage packets, because of obscure this and that�s � and I suppose for some managers/ company accountants its quite a normal practice to use the rule book as an extra source of income.