Job Discussion Forums

[mitsui]

I had an interview with ELEC in Tokyo, which does dispatch to universities and later got turned down to my age.
Apparently the coordinator at the university can`t have anybody older than him (or her).
I guess I will contact the labor office, but it seems that the government especially under Abe just lets companies do whatever they want.

[Big_H]

Tough luck mate. Out of anyone in this community, you're the poster child for age discrimination against TEFL instructors in Japan, given your experience.

But the unusual part is that it's the coordinator who is having a problem with your age rather than the language department of your potential employer.

In any case, you probably only encountered the tip of the cooky standards iceberg of that university. Take care.

[mitsui]

It is Kanagawa University so I think it is the dispatch company with the rules.

[jmatt]

That's odd because there are some teachers at ELEC into their 50's.

[Solar Strength]

mitsui,

So the university department director told you, "I can't hire you because you are older than me, and I do not hire people who are older than me."

Was that a gaijin director or a Japanese director?

Ridiculous. Yeah, I'd report it to the labor board. However, so what. Nothing will be done about it.

[mitsui]

Indeed.
No, it was the ELEC boss who said so, which means that to work through dispatch at Kanagawa University you have to be younger than the university coordinator, however old he/she is.

In fact my wife thought it was strange so she called up ELEC.

May as well contact the labor board on that one.

[Solar Strength]

[mitsui]

I found the job post on Craiglist. I saw one job there from today where people aged 25-40 only should apply.

[Solar Strength]

mitsui,

Not to derail your topic, but since you are facing age discrimination here, and you've brought it up before in previous posts, have you not considered looking at universities in Korea, China or Hong Kong / Macau?

There are many university level TEFL positions that you'd probably have a much better chance of getting if you widened your net.

Japan is a much tougher market to crack, especially for university level EFL jobs. And as you know, it's only getting harder to get university teaching jobs.

Or, if you're patient and have the time and support, just hang on until you can get enough part-time jobs together to fill your schedule. I met a lot of guys who do that in Tokyo - working for 5 or 6 universities. Some even teaching on Saturday! A lot of travel, however, and no benefits.

[mitsui]

No,
since my Japanese spouse won`t move to those countries.
But for others I do recommend Ningbo, in China.
China has changed and teachers can do well there.

I hope to just teach full-time in the fall and teach part-time until then.
Otherwise it means it is time to go back to the US.

It seems that getting part-time university work takes time.
Also I have just missed out on a couple places where I was rejected and was told that they were sorry to turn me down.
It is just too competitive now, especially for any job that pays at least 5000 yen per hour.

[mitsui]

Ok, I called the Tokyo labor office.
I was told I had to call the Kanagawa office instead.

Anyway the woman said, "I don`t know if that is illegal but it seems like discrimination. I will ask my boss."
Sounds like an American on the fence in the 1950s who can`t tell if having blacks sit in the back of the bus is right or wrong.

[Solar Strength]

[mitsui]

I don`t know who it was at KU, or if the coordinator works for ELEC.
ELEC does send teachers to other universities and companies.

My wife was told, not I, since she called.

I could try the union later.

[Big_H]

[Vince]

I'm sorry to hear about this. I agree that you should report it to the local labor board. I'd start the call by asking" "How do I file a formal complaint of age discrimination?" That way, you'll be more likely to go through an official process that requires the complaint to be recorded and given due consideration.