Job Discussion Forums

[Neilhrd]

I have always been paid direct into a bank account in China until my current (soon to be ex employer) who insists on paying cash. As far as I am concerned money is money but I find direct payment into a bank account is less hassle because it avoids long queues in the bank to pay cash in myself and is less risky. The latter is important to me as I had my wallet stolen at the bus stop a few months ago and the crime rate seems to be rising.

In Britain payment into a bank account is the norm but employees have the right to choose their own bank. The reason why that doesn't happen in China is the real story.

A previous employer of mine tried several times to force all the foreign teachers to change their accounts to a series of different banks. Inconvenience and delays in accessing money whilst it was transferred caused the guys to start digging into the reasons. Eventually it emerged that the school was insolvent and were desperately shopping around for loans from various banks to keep going and to pursue their pie in the sky expansion plans.

Some Chinese banks will apparently bend the rules and give loans to high credit risk companies in such circumstances provided that the salaries are deposited with the same bank as a form of collateral on the loan.

If I were you I should try to get your salary paid into a bank of your choice. If they baulk at that it is time to start asking questions about the schools financial stability especially in the light of your previous posts about minimal student numbers.

[The Ever-changing Cleric]

interesting stuff.

[englishgibson]

interesting, isn't it?

[The Ever-changing Cleric]

[englishgibson]

where are you in china

from a few cities in the country, i couldn't overlook the huge lines at ATMs and then the poor security there as the people in lines are "so close to each other". also, i've seen people at ATMs frustrated when the machine ran out of cash or broke down. yes, there're banks but their services are just not so much for the consumer as for the supplier of the service

[lost_gypsy]

Have you noticed how, even after SEVERAL years, the announced salary for teachers is 4,500 RMB? I am not sure if that is STILL the case, but I would not doubt it.

And the reasoning is, because any amount OVER 4,500 there is some kind of tax to be paid. I made 10,000 RMB at one school, and this is what they did. They paid me the 4,500 RMB under MY name, then another 4,500 under a DIFFERENT name--keeping the pay to "each teacher" at the 4,500 non tax limit.

The bank card thing was also used at the first school I went to, and I think it was just to keep things precise; it was a bording school in the country side with 50 or more teachers, a huge staff of workers for all kinds of things, like the cafeteria, bla, bla, bla (although I doubt THEY had bank cards).

[sharpe88]

I think you're overcautious about the banks. They sure beat keeping wads of cash under your bed. Merchant Bank is quite efficient, and even BOC is getting better

[englishgibson]

well, i guess that's your point of view and experience. having seen the issues with banks around the country and from what my wife (chinese) has told me, i'd prefer " wads of cash" rather than the troubles. my windows and door bars my cash and me safe and provide me with the convenience of "get it when you want it" as well as the efficiency of not having to wait in a line at either bank or an ATM. then, employers do tend to pay tardi, although if one does not spend the whole month's salary to quick, the tardi employer's accountants do or should not matter.
there's a story from my wife to reckon with. my wife's mother got robbed at a ATM and all her savings (4,000 yuan) were withdrawn by unidentifiable thieves. the poor woman will probably never see a mao out of that and'll have difficulties to recover too. no, i'm not sh*tting on here and i did not post this thread to f*ck around either.

my main points on are 1) employer directs an employee to one bank 2) employer diducts the income tax 3) the bank directs me to buy a card for 10 yuan as "books aren't available anymore"

cheers and beers to wads of cash under my pillow as i will most likely not work for any freaking chinese employers from next year anymore

[kev7161]

[englishgibson]

hidden tax


claiming you've never had problems with banks or ATMs after a few years of using them in china is, forgive me, hard to believe. i've been here since 2001 and've seen enough. yes, you get good services, but asking chinese for a consistancy is just beyond their reach

cheers and beers

[sharpe88]

Never had a problem with Merchant Bank. Can't say how they were 8 years ago, but indeed have never had a problem with Merchant or BOC in the past few years. People getting mugged at ATMs happens all over the world, but I don't know anyone here in BJ that has experienced that.

[englishgibson]

last saturday, my bank card got stuck in the ATM machine...luckily, the bank was open as the manager was able to give it back to me immediately. i remember there's a thread that mentions a similar situation where a ft is stuck at a teller in early morning hours..waiting for service that cannot help to come

yes, sh*t happens everywhere around the world. however, it's not whether it happens, but how much it happens. chinese stats are so poor that you may never find out how much it happens in this country.

to avoid inconveniences by the poor service in this country, and to avoid your employer's dishonesty as they at times pay late or "deduct taxes" that may go "anywhere", just pick up your cash and go

cheers and beers to claims that cash's illegal in this country as well as cheers and beers to our pillows full of no pro withdrawals at any time

_____________________________________________________________
recruiters are a source of information to reckon with

[slayer6719]

Where i work there are 5 foreign teachers. We all get paid in different ways LOL According to how we wish to get paid is how we get paid! I get mine paid straight into the bank on the 15th of the month and i also get a payslip(Is this a rarity China?) One of the teachers simply asks for cash when he needs it! and the other 3 have their own ways of collecting their wages. Some have their expenses taken out, some pay their own as they fall due. Like most things in China ANYTHING GOES!

[dialogger]

My last school opened a bank account with Construction Bank for me although I had a BoC account from the school before that.
As it was explained to me, having teachers with Construction Bank accounts was part of the deal for that bank having ATMs around the campus and an on-campus branch.
I had a passbook and would get it updated before going into town to BoC to transfer money home.
As Construction didn't (then) have overseas remittance facilities, it was a matter of visiting the city Construction Bank branch and withdrawing cash using the passbook. I then walked a block to BoC and completed the overseas transfer.
A drawback to cash is the chance of getting a counterfeit note. There is a thread on counterfeit 100s on Dave's and newbies should be familiar with this issue.

[englishgibson]

if your school/center has a machine that counts bills you may not have such a pro. the machine usually finds a counterfit bill. but then even a bank can give you a fake bill as it has happened before a few times around.

slayer, thanx for sharing that. in my case, it's surely not 'cause the bank has outlets around. and, they're unwilling to offer me the slips.

cheers and beers to cash