Job Discussion Forums

[sidjameson]

I work part time at a university and a junior high school on one year contracts. The thing is my bloody knee is really starting to play up. Just recently it is aching pretty much non stop. It is liveable but then again I would much rather live without it.
I'm pretty sure that I need an operation but I am wondering if I am eligable for sick pay. A friend of mine needed a couple of months after what I consider might be a similar type of problem.
If I am eligable I would probably do it sooner, but if not I guess I would leave it till I left Japan or try to fit it into a summer holiday.
And one more thing. Next year I might be full time at the junoir high. Would I be eligable then? How long do you think they would continue to pay my salary for?
Thanks for any help.

[Gordon]

I'd check with your school to see what their policy is. Good luck getting a straight answer, if the uni is anything like mine. Rumours at my school is that we get about 6 weeks before they start docking pay.
See about replacement teachers too, I know when one of my colleagues was away for about 6 weeks for a family emergency, all the students were ushered into other people's classes. Not a great deal for anybody.

[Iwantmyrightsnow]

As Gordon said, check what the school policy is. As you are only part-time you probably won't be given any sickdays. If you have been there for more than six months you would be entitled to paid annual leave to be used at your discretion. This could be used to cover some of the time of but it could cause problems later though. It may be resented that you took semester time off when you could have just waited until the holidays. It could cause problems at renewal time and may influence their decision to offer the full-time job.

If the kneww is that bad talk to them and see what they say. But otherwise just wait and do it in the holidays.

[sidjameson]

Thanks for the quick responses. Iwantmyrightsnow "paid annual leave" whats that? Seriously I have been at both places, government uni and gov school for 3 years and have never received any paid holiday. Do you think I am entitled? They pay me by the hour.
thanks

[Iwantmyrightsnow]

I presume you are hired directly and being paid per koma. Are you paid during the summer etc when you are not teaching? This is the usual case. Most (not all) teachers in the university and high school sector are paid throughout the whole year. It is different in the semmon gakko sector.

Part-time workers are entitled to paid annual leave yukyukyuka (spelling?). Most universities/schools and language schools won't tell you about it. In the case of university teachers/high school teachers it would be be a bit rich to take them if you are being paid thru the long holiday period. But if you are only being paid for each class being taught I would be claiming the holiday pay.

I suggest you call the GU 06-6352-9619 to set up a consultation. There may well be members already at your schools.