Job Discussion Forums

PolarBear · Joined: 11 Aug 2010 Posts: 4 Location: Canada

I'm in need of some advice. I'm new to the TEFL world. I accepted a position with an EF school recently. I was dumb and didn't do enough research before hand. Since accepting the contract a few days ago, I've found nothing but horror stories about EF franchises. It's really the icing on the cake for me. The last two times I've had contact with EF it's been nothing but bad vibes. There seems to be a 'this is how we do things and if you question anything you're being difficult' attutide that I get from the school. Basically, I'm in the position now that I'd rather not work for them. I signed and sent the preliminary contact 2 days ago. Obviously, I haven't received my letter of invitation yet.

I don't have a good feeling about this school. I'd like out. I don't want to burn any bridges though. Do I have a right to decline the offer now? Are there any legal issues if I do?

flyingscotsman · Joined: 24 Mar 2010 Posts: 339 Location: Suzhou, China

Don't worry. Just tell them you changed your mind. Nothing is binding till you have a Z visa and are in China - even then its iffy.

JamesD · Posted: Thu Aug 19, 2010 5:34 am Post subject:

So signatures on contracts are not binding? I'll remember that next time I want a bank loan.

Not that I'm a fan of chain schools, but you might think about the school spending time and money to get the invitation letter based on your promise. Them letters ain't free.
Maybe hurriedly signing contracts and then blowing them off is one reason why Chinese consider foreigners unstable.

(Edit)
Apologies for the smart-a** post.
Anyway, you made the commitment. You never know what the school is going to be like until you walk in the door, take complaints of others with a grain of salt and make up your own mind once you get here. The attitude could be prevalent at the school or just from the staff with whom you're dealing.
You could call and nicely ask them to cancel the contract but if they don't want to tear it up it's between you and your conscience. To specifically answer your question, no. The police are not going to come after you and EF is not going to sue you.

ryanwhistler · Joined: 26 Jul 2010 Posts: 29

Sad that so many people think it's fine to commit to something then walk away.

If the school has already started the process and then obtain your visa issuance notice - then you have a legal obligation !!

7969 · Joined: 26 Mar 2003 Posts: 5782 Location: Coastal Guangdong

Miles Smiles · Joined: 07 Jun 2010 Posts: 1294 Location: Heebee Jeebee

Most contracts that I've read state that the contract isn't binding until both parties have signed it.

Bondi007 · Posted: Thu Aug 19, 2010 4:15 pm Post subject:

I worked for an EF school in Europe and have nothing but praise for them. Give the school a chance and don't dump them until they give you reason to.

Some teachers bad mouth schools because they've had a bad experience there while other teachers at the very same school may sing their praises...you'll never know til you GO. Very Happy

Niederbom · Joined: 13 Feb 2010 Posts: 66

Did you sign a hard copy or a scanned copy of the contract? A scanned contract is just an image file (like PNG) that anyone could airbrush or Photoshop, so it is not legally binding anywhere, as far as I am aware.

Breaking an actual signed contract might present a problem and is not something I'd recommend doing. If they get pissed enough, they might put you on the SAFEA blacklist for the province.

As for the ethics of dumping a scanned contract, integrity is definitely not the first thing on the minds of the people in this country, especially the business people. You're just acting like a local, fitting right in with the local culture. All anyone cares about here is his/her own skin, and you are at a disadvantage if you think differently than they do.

You act unreliably, leave a school in a lurch, break your word, steal their time (and money). You have to remember that they (and just about every other business here) would do the same thing to you if it was convenient. I am still constantly appalled by the way people in Dalian (and everywhere in China) brazenly cheat foreigners, or for that matter, anyone who doesn't know any better.

It's the way people do business in this country. "When in Rome...do as the Romans do."

PolarBear · Joined: 11 Aug 2010 Posts: 4 Location: Canada

I appreciate all of your comments. I haven't signed the actual contract. I signed the 'agreement to sign the agreement' or aka 'the scanned contract'. In the end, falling out on my word just doesn't sit well with me. However, I have some other higher paying opportunites in cities where I'm really interested in living.