Job Discussion Forums

adorabilly · Joined: 20 May 2006 Posts: 430 Location: Ras Al Khaimah

NOTE: This is not for me or my wife. But I was asked by another instructor here in RAK (and I had a question asked of my by a RAKESS teacher similar) and since I don't know the answer, I figured I'd ask here.

I was asked about completing a contract and moving on to another school.

Here is the basic gist of the situation.

The teachers contract will pass at the end of the academic year. Now for HCT, the instructors are required to give a full semesters notice of intending to leave and this includes people who are just completing their contract. If notice is not given a full semester in advance we have heard of people who have been denied their gratuity.

But since the Tesol and TESOL arabia conferences are not until March if you give notice in January (a full semester prior to leaving) and do not find another position can you go back to HCT and rescind your notice? (this of course is dependent on HCT offering you a new contract had you not given that semesters notice)

I do not know the answer to this, and was wondering what others (many with vastly more direct knowledge of this topic) know, suggest or feel like commenting on .

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Ah billy... I expect that it depends on whether they wanted to keep you in the first place. I guess you need to listen carefully for that between the lines sigh of relief that your resignation had saved them from not having to 'not renew' you. Laughing

I'd say that the decision has been passed to the employer and they are under no obligation to keep you... so you are taking a risk if you are thinking you get to rescind your resignation and stay.

VS

helenl · Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Posts: 1202

I know of people who have successfully rescinded their resignations - and also those who have not. As VS says, it mostly depends on how badly they want to keep you, and your direct supervisor may not have much say if the Director or the VC decide you have "betrayed" them. Nope, I'm not kidding, some Directors take it very personally when you decide not to renew and can be vindictive should you try to get back in.

adorabilly · Joined: 20 May 2006 Posts: 430 Location: Ras Al Khaimah

I will pass that on to the folks who asked me about it.

Though I do have an related question.

Then how do you manage to go and interview for positions at Tesol Arabia, when you have to give a full semesters notice before leaving, even if your contract has expired?

celticbutterfly · Joined: 13 Jul 2009 Posts: 41

I've heard of several people who have rescinded their notice (some have done it more than once) and have been permitted to stay on at HCT. Others, however have not been so lucky. I think it depends on how valuable you are - HCT is not as attractive to work at nowadays and some colleges are desperate for staff, so if your friend is in a dept that is short of staff they might be able to rescind.

As for transferring within the UAE to other jobs, I think as more HCT staff realise how green the grass is in other fields (think UAEU), there might be a lot of defections. I see a future where HCT central, being the nasty pieces of work that they are , will put a stop to being able to transfer...tell your friend to get out now before this happens... Confused

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

helenl · Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Posts: 1202

As recently as 2006 the HCT VC was trying to include a clause in contracts that stated the employee, even if they fulfilled their contract in full and gave proper notice, could not work for another UAE tertiary institution for 2 years - in other words, he was already trying to stem the flow of HCT teachers to other schools in UAE.

He was not successful because the labour laws won't allow him to do this, yet.

BrownSauce · Joined: 31 Dec 2008 Posts: 87 Location: Fantasy Island

I heard the same, helenl, but I don't know why he bothered, as somebody once told me that the country's labour laws only apply to those in the private sector.

In short, if you're a government / state employee you're at their mercy, as they can say and do whatever they want with their 'serfs'. Of course, what they SAY and what they actually DO are not always (ever?) the same thing, so it could be a case of 'pot luck' - just give things a try and see what happens!

As for that 'stemming' of the tide - well, the HCT VC has done his fair bit to cause the waves to roll, so I guess it's his duty to try and reverse things...

MrScaramanga · Joined: 12 Oct 2007 Posts: 221

Quite correct, BrownSauce: HCT, being a federal institution, is not governed by UAE labor laws, but rather by its own by-laws. How convenient!
MrS

helenl · Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Posts: 1202

And yet Tubby the Camel has not inserted said clause into the contracts - although he has rewritten current contracts and made other clauses effective retroactively without the knowledge or consent of the contract signers. So one wonders why he hasn't insisted on this particular change? Inquiring minds want to know.

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

If I were a betting woman, I would say why put it in writing when you can do it at whim anyway. There may also be, even with the worst of management, an unwillingness to put in writing a clause that breaks the employment laws even if one doesn't have to follow them.

We haven't had any people here complaining of a block. Have they done it yet or is it just one of the lurking threats...

VS

ckhl · Joined: 20 Aug 2006 Posts: 214 Location: SE Asia

I got out of HCT two years ago after a, well yes, twelve-year stint. It was the end of my fourth contract. My relationship with one bone head in management was rather acid at best. Getting a no-objection letter from the director was a mere formality, however. No questions were asked. I was given a couple of job offers from other tertiary institutions in the UAE.