Job Discussion Forums

[Mysterious Mark]

It's been stated previously on this forum that it's illegal for Chinese employers to take or withhold deposits from employees.

Can anyone back up this claim with evidence?

Even if it's legal, there are non-legal arguments against it. Employers may say that they need protection against employees who can't be trusted, and they may tell stories of being cheated/robbed/left in the cold by employees in the past. The problems with that argument are that EFL teachers get cheated by their employers or agents every day in China, and there's a long standing tradition around the world of employees providing references to attest to their credibility and trustworthiness. It's also more difficult for an employee than an employer to work through the Chinese legal system in the event of a dispute about the refunding of a deposit.

Even if an employer repays all deposits on time, they're still for the employer's benefit and at the employees' expense, unless the employer pays the employees interest on their deposits.

Chinese EFL employers usually have a form of deposit anyway, namely the end-of-contract bonus/airfare reimbursement.

Employees rarely ask for or receive any sort of deposit from their employers. They may at times receive advances on their salaries, but these are likely to be for work already performed, not for work yet to be performed.

[Super Mario]

Easy. Each month, go to an ATM, withdraw your salary, put it under your matress.
As for interest, worldwide rates on everyday accounts don't even equal inflation.
You can get accounts that pay up to 5.5% if you look around.
I had no problems at all with my salary being paid into an account, which I accessed by ATM or over the counter, identical in fact to the way I'm paid here at home. I always find it ironical that people complain about China's "backwardness", but also China adopting Western banking practices!

[pandasteak]

or go get a second bank account

[tony lee]