Job Discussion Forums

[Markemark]

Read this. This post will save you a lot of humiliation and probably your self respect.
IH is a racket run on a shoestring. What's new, it's a language school, they're all the same?
No. This gig is run by a Saudi maniac with a borderline personality, a preadator, someone out for trouble, someone who will and has, consistently, over many years abused teachers from Arab teachers paid 1500 riyals to sweat 10 hours a day- to native speakers insulted, cajoled, played off against each other and systematically robbed. In short, you will be treated like an animal, which is why IH has NO permanent native speakers left, and now relies on people the school owner feels justified in abusing- muslim teachers, poorly qualified- temporary native speakers (which IH in London is happy to send into that hell), east europeans and long serving browbeaten Arab teachers terrified of the psycho school owner. And he is a psycho. Teachers loathe this disgusting creep so much they sit around the villas dreaming up how to rid the world of him.
When you come to IH- the first thing the school owner- S. AL Q, will tell you is that your embassy will not help you. And thus the bullying and imtimidation begins. Here are the basics:
1) The contract requires 6 months notice and 40 hours of slavery and as there is no overtime he can order you to do just about anything
2) The 6 months is to bully you back to work AFTER you have been abused- you sweat it out, week after week, until you have to go back and work unless you starve. You have no power at all- even against the worst victimization.
3) So you have NO WAY OUT, other than to beg, and this ennables the abuse in the first place setting up a vicious cycle. The sick Saudi school owner will create confrontation- just to break you and see you beg.
4) Your lives and safety mean absolutely nothing with teachers forced to commute in either a broken old van- or hundreds of miles. IH has racked up lots of accidents already.
5) If you have family here, and kids, S AL Q will bully you as if he's on steroids- why? Because he's got you.
6) American and Brit teachers are paid 8,000 riyals- happlily supplied by IH and fed into the mincemeat machine. They are denied their passports, mostly on business visas and kept under lock down.
7) Accomodation ranges from squalid portacabins on the roof of IH Dhahran which even an Indian laborer would refuse to cockroach infested hovels in furnished appartments where you wouldn't even want to sit down
Teachers have been housed in an abandoned villa in one location that was unfit for human habitation with S AL Q refusing to pay for AC during the summer and teachers survived with fans
9) A teacher with kidney disease was ordered to work by S AL Q until the man collapsed in his class
10) Contracts role over, so you will be prevented from leaving as you complete.
11) Teachers are constantly at the Labor Courts
12) You will receive no reference, NOJ or any kind of end of term gratuity under Saudi labor law- you won't want any of it anyhow, you will just be happy to get out.
Posters will simply say, well of course, NO ONE would go to IH in the first place.
That's not a fair argument and I'll tell you why. IH is an organization that is supposed to stop this kind of endemic abuse and teachers feel, even if they are newbies and relatively inexperienced, that they will be somehow protected. IH also, so far as I know, has no problems with its recruitment. How naieve do you have to be to no longer count?
How long does it take IH to end the abuse and disaffiliate this disaster?

[Maude Edithe]

I worked at the one in Riyadh (part-time) some 15 years ago. I agree with all of the above....again much of this could be said about a lot of the EFL positions in the Gulf.
One thing I must say is that the British manager at the time... Mark... was a hell of a decent...if somewhat hapless guy.

[Cleopatra]

I'm sorry to hear about these experiences, which sound appalling by just about any standards.

Perhaps the best option for those seeking some form of justice would be to bypass the Saudi Labour courts and make a formal complaint to IH in London? Worth a try, surely?

[spanglish]

I appreciate this post because I've considered applying to IH in Saudi Arabia. IH has a number of branches in the country. Anybody have info on the other schools?

[HCEG1]

I had a phone call on a Saturday morning last month from an agent recruiting for IH. He was practically begging me to take the job and said he'd send a offer letter right away. I continually pushed on the subject of remuneration but he constantly avoided giving any precise figures, but said it was probably 'the best package in Saudi'. I said I wouldn't consider anything less than SR 20,000 pm. Funnily enough, I never received any job offer. What a shame!

[spanglish]

lol, now THAT might be the best package in Saudi Arabia.

[HCEG1]

Not quite. I was on SR 800 pm more than that on my last contract, along with good compound accomm and subsidised food

[trapezius]

^ Where was that (city, employer), if you don't mind telling us?

[johnslat]

Arrrggghhh, moved to the right thread. Sorry.

"I grow old � I grow old �
I shall wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled.

Shall I part my hair behind? Do I dare to eat a peach?
I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach.
I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each.

I do not think that they will sing to me.

[spanglish]

Sorry, when you say 20,000, do you mean actual pay with benefits like housing/flights in addition to that?

[veiledsentiments]

Hey John... I think you meant to put this on the other thread...

VS

[Never Ceased To Be Amazed]

spanglish, I'll bet the poster is talking about that sterling BAe Systems contract. However, if so, then they've tightened up as they used to provide free food as well as the work clothes on their backs!

NCTBA

[HCEG1]

I wasn't talking about BAE Systems, who do still provide 3 meals a day, uniforms, laundry & the services of a houseboy all free

I was referring to a short term contract in Riyadh which was well advertised and much discussed on here last Autumn It gave SR 20,800 PLUS the accomm & subsidised food

With the strengthening of the pound, the BAE salary is now better than that

FWIW, ARAMCO have been offering up to $8000 pm (without accomm) to a select few who with strong negotiating skills

[Markemark]

The thought of IH offering 20,000 is laughable! That's someone trying to set you up and hook you in.
IH salary ranges from 1500 for the Syrians and Sudanease up to the staggering heights of 8,500 to native speakers willing to stay for 3 years.
As IH Saudi Arabi will, repeat WILL get disafilliated from IH globally, consider you got a lucky escape.

[eclectic]

that has to be the worst damn review I ever read. God almighty, if its true, may someone strike that principal right in the nose with a sledgehammer. Cockroaches like that shouldnt be able to sleep at night.