Job Discussion Forums

[acwilliams]

As a Brit, 'return ticket', to me, does mean a 'go and come back ticket', but I can see the potential for confusion. I hate to say this, but the American 'round trip' is much clearer and less ambiguous.

[Joe C.]

[clark.w.griswald]

[Joe C.]

[clark.w.griswald]

[Bayden]

The point you're ALL missing is that you're communicating with CHINESE people who may or may not fully understand either term but could well use that to their advantage. "here's your return ticket, for you to return on" even if they DID understand the meaning of 'return ticket'.
Doesn't really matter how WE refer to it. If I were negotiating such a contract I'd use a simple and unambiguous term like 'two way ticket' or insert a lengthy sub clause outlining exactly what is meant by whatever term I used.
Bickering about who here understands what to be what is bit pointless eh.
Tip for newbies, don't expect that just because a Chinese person uses a term/phrase/word they actually know what it means or if they do, won't use any possible ambiguity to their advantage.
Make it crystal clear.

[7969]

bayden has a good point. if there's any chance for ambuguity, better to clear it up by having the wording for the air ticket reimbursement put into terms that both sides understand to meant he same thing.

my current school contract says "the RMB equivalent of an air ticket to return to the home country will be paid at end of the contract." no mistaking the meaning there, a one way ticket.

however, the school i will be working at next term has different wording, it says: "after Party B�s whole-term service, when he or she completes his or her work and is ready to leave China, Party A shall provide Party B with round trip airfare subsidy from (insert chinese city here) to ______, (insert home city and country here) to leave China, and the round trip airfare subsidy can be reimbursed on handing in the plane ticket."

on one hand, it says round trip airfare which should mean a two way ticket. on the other hand, it also says airfare subsidy from china to home country with no mention of going from home country to china. this could be taken both ways, and its incumbent on me to sort it out beforehand.

perhaps we can all come up with the appropriate wording here and post it on this thread. then we could try to have it inserted into various contracts to see what happens, or if the chinese actually will accept it.

[HunanForeignGuy]

[clark.w.griswald]

As far as I am aware, the majority of positions on one year contracts still offer a two-way return ticket. In most cases you get half reimbursement in the first half of your contract (within six months) and the other half upon successful completion of your contract. This obviously varies from school to school, but seems to me to be the standard practice more or less.

The whole idea is based around the foreign expert regulations stated by SAFEA and that someone has pointed out are often used as a guide by schools here. Those regulations state the requirement of schools to provide a one way ticket for a six month contract and a two-way return ticket for a 12 month contract.

7969 perhaps the following could be a start that others could add to:

[Malsol]

"reimbursement"

Another tricky word for the FAO.

Why?

Our FAO wants to see the ticket we bought before he will reimburse.

If we decide to stay in China, no ticket or reimbursement. Our choice.

[Roger]

I have always c onsidered airfare for a one-way ticket asx unfair but as a matter of fact the demand for jobs from FTs is apparently so great that many arrive here on their own before landing a job.

My first employer only paid a lumpsum of 5000, no matter whether you had to fly to the moon or to Paris.

There is some confusion in the terminology used, but others have pointed out the subtle semantics of "return fare".

Your friend might actuaqlly consider herself lucky in that she wasn't asked to provide proof she actually flew into China. SOme employers only refund what they can see you have spent on a one-way ticket.

Lastly, what the contract says is the guideline. If your friend has not been working legally then she should consider herself doubly lucky!

[Joe C.]

[Babala]

I don't agree that someone who is only completing a 6 month contract should be compensated the same as someone completing a year contract. I agree with the one-way ticket.

[Malsol]

Clarke/Joe I have learned a great deal from both of you. You are both experienced and able to state your points in an understandable manner. I appreciate both of you.

What I do not understand is the lack of mutual repsect. Under the endangered species act EFL teachers in China are a unique group worthy of special treatment; so why should we devour each other?

[7969]