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chinatimes
Joined: 27 May 2012
Posts: 478
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 Posted: Mon Jan 27, 2014 2:43 pm Post subject: Unfair daily deductions and paid vacation days |
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Situation, 4 teachers, 1 of them is a "bad" teacher (not me). At least the school thinks so because he created problems with the 2 other teachers and he didn't communicate with the school.
Each of us owed 4 hours of teaching on Saturday and Sunday, 8 total. He couldn't come on the weekend, so I taught 16 on the weekend and he took 8 of my hours during the week. However, there are 2 groups we teach and we only agreed to one group. In the end, he owes the school 4 hours in theory. The school thinks otherwise and wants to penalize him some contrived daily wage. We signed a monthly contract. So, how do they pull a day's salary (2 in this case) out of their magical hat (or someplace where the sun don't shine) and punish him by deducting 4 times the amount he would normally be owed? This didn't settle too well with me and I threatened to leave.
We were called and had a meeting. In the end, he should get some of his money back and then we discussed vacation time. How much is the norm? I know it depends on the contract, but how many days do you normally get? All 4 of us have the understanding we get about 1 month total of paid vacation time. In the contract it isn't clear and has 14 mentioned. Is that 14 for winter, 14 for summer? Or is it 7 and 7? Which makes more sense? At other schools, I either leave before vacation time is owed if it is a bad school, or because I am the only teacher and usually don't go anywhere I just save the money in a bank. The other 3 teachers are more concerned which brings me into this discussion because it affects what is paid vacation time. I don't need to go anywhere in winter, and I don't have a passport now. I'm getting a new residence permit. However, I do want to cash in and get the paid vacation money instead of waiting.
Last edited by chinatimes on Mon Jan 27, 2014 6:05 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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muffintop
Joined: 07 Jan 2013
Posts: 803
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| Posted: Mon Jan 27, 2014 2:52 pm Post subject: |
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| Is your contract 10 or 12 months? |
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chinatimes
Joined: 27 May 2012
Posts: 478
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| Posted: Mon Jan 27, 2014 3:13 pm Post subject: |
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| muffintop wrote: |
| Is your contract 10 or 12 months? |
Different for different teachers. One teacher signed a 2 year contract, I think the other 2 signed a 10 month contract, which I think I know what you are saying. Because it is 10 they don't get the vacation time at the end.
For me, they wanted a 10 month contract too. However, when they went to get my residence permit extended, the PSB only accepted half a school year, which means only September to January, 5 months. This was useless for both the school and me, but we couldn't do anything about it. It was more like a verbal agreement that I would do 5 months and then 6. Right now, I am waiting for a second contract to be in effect and get a new residence permit for 6 more months.
To add to the confusion, the director I was interviewed with last year didn't continue working from the new September school year. We had an office worker manage things until 2 weeks ago. Out of the blue, the new director has emerged and is imposing rules. She doesn't speak English, and she doesn't know what the other director and I agreed to. |
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zactherat
Joined: 24 Aug 2011
Posts: 295
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| Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2014 2:54 am Post subject: |
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speaking from experience: verbal agreements will bend in the wind.
beware. |
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chinatimes
Joined: 27 May 2012
Posts: 478
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| Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2014 12:08 pm Post subject: |
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| zactherat wrote: |
speaking from experience: verbal agreements will bend in the wind.
beware. |
That has nothing to do with my question. I am not asking about enforcing an agreement, I am asking what the norm is. If you work a 10 month contract and leave, is the school supposed to pay for a second vacation at the end?
I was under the impression they only pay for the second vacation at best if you work 2 years. In Korea, they usually give 14 for language schools and 20 for public schools. So, seeing that I could get 28 surprised me. |
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notnow
Joined: 10 Aug 2011
Posts: 19
Location: Shanghai
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| Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2014 12:49 pm Post subject: |
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Chinatimes, what the norm is has nothing to do with what's in your contract. Whatever is written in your contract is what the school will do - if it feels so inclined.
What's that about 2nd holidays? Is that a Hobbit thing? Like 2nd breakfast and 2nd lunch? |
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chinatimes
Joined: 27 May 2012
Posts: 478
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| Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2014 2:24 pm Post subject: |
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| notnow wrote: |
Chinatimes, what the norm is has nothing to do with what's in your contract. Whatever is written in your contract is what the school will do - if it feels so inclined.
What's that about 2nd holidays? Is that a Hobbit thing? Like 2nd breakfast and 2nd lunch? |
Well, before you sign a contract you read it. Then you decide if the conditions are good. So, I am asking what is the norm, not because I have a contract I want to enforce, but because I want to know what is reasonable to expect. This is not a hard concept.
If School A gives more vacation time than School B, then maybe I will be willing to do something else in exchange. This is all common sense negotiating stuff to balance out the offers, because as you are indicating not all schools need the same or deal in the same manner.
However, if we have a standard norm to bounce off of then we can give and take in other areas.
I am talking about a second vacation because it is normal to take time off between semesters and get paid vacation. The term "paid vacation" is common and often used to indicate time you get as a result of working. In this case it is 28 days. The school wants 14 in winter, 14 in summer. Again, not a hard concept. It has nothing to do with hobbits or skyfaries or anything of the sort.
It has to do with working on planet Earth, teaching ESL, and determining what is the norm. Now, you can either answer the question as a normal person or you can do another norm and avoid answering steering the thread down a path the original poster (me in this case) didn't intend.
Your move pilgrim. |
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notnow
Joined: 10 Aug 2011
Posts: 19
Location: Shanghai
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| Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2014 5:01 pm Post subject: |
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| Are you at some private language school? If so then maybe someone who has taught at one can help you. I've only taught at unis and high schools where one's holidays depend on the school calendar and any extra work the school decides to assign. At this type of school 10 month contracts, Sep-Jun, it's been typical to get paid over Spring Festival. But no paid summer holidays. With a 12 month contract you be more likely to expect payment over the summer, but this may be a fraction of the other months. If you're at a language school, why not enquire at other similar schools. Maybe apply for a few jobs, find out what different schools' holiday policies are? |
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