Job Discussion Forums

[jayzel]

Contracts in Turkey written in English aren't worth the paper they are printed on -- especially at private language schools. Choose your place of employment carefully and don't expect to actually receive anything that the contract says save for your monthly paycheck. Also, expect the written terms of the contract (including dress code, rules of conduct, and expected duties) to change at the whim of whichever hack head teacher is now in charge.

I learned the hard way. My contract at an infamous private school in Istanbul stated I would be given state health insurance when I received my residence permit. I received it in December, however, the state coverage was never given to me by my employer. In June, I injured my leg and had to shell out 800 Turkish Lira out of my own pocket. I sent a request to the head office to be reimbursed at least partially if not fully, and the head office just put my request into the rubbish and never had the decency to give me a response. Now into the tenth month of my 12-month contract, I still don't have health coverage and when I finally forcefully complained to the head teacher that my contract was being violated, I was given a written warning due to "disrespect"!

Hahahahahhahaha! Insanity.

In short, if you have your own international insurance, don't let it lapse. If you don't have your own insurance, good luck! You'll need it! Lastly, never ever believe anything that is written in your "contact"!