Job Discussion Forums

biff99 · Joined: 20 Feb 2009 Posts: 8

For the past week or so, the "institution" where I work has been asking its foreign teachers (and only the new ones) to sign a different contract. Today they moved from "asking" to "insisting" and are flirting with "threatening".

Is this normal? Most of us (3 out of 4) signed back in March. The two parts that are different are about lodging (which I opted out of) and plane tickets at the end of contract.

Any idea what happens if a person declines to sign an updated version of a contract?

Standarde · Joined: 26 Nov 2011 Posts: 2 Location: Turkey

Depends. Do you have a work permit/are you working legally in the country? Plenty of esl teachers are there on tourist visas, which is good in that they can't really take legal action against you in anyway. Worst case scenario, they fire you, but chances are they are like most places and need you more than you need them.

Otterman Ollie · Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2011 9:57 am Post subject:

Basically they have you over a barrell, sign and smile, look at your options for next year, if they fire you while you are under contract they have to pay you compensation.

Qigong · Joined: 22 Apr 2007 Posts: 8 Location: Turkey

I agree. Sign the contract. I have been in Turkey for almost five years and the reality those contracts will toss you and an employer into court is slim pickens.

Do a service to ESL industry and complete your verbal and/or written contract terms and conditions.