Job Discussion Forums

jamesmollo · Joined: 26 Apr 2007 Posts: 276 Location: jilin china

Thought that might spark some interest Very Happy

I'm not really considering leaving before my contract ends per se.
My classes will stop around the 15th of june as the students will be doing revision for the end of year exams. So I asked my f.a.o if I can leave then, as i have no classes or work obligations. He said even though I have no classes I will be paid for the whole month as usual, so therefore can't leave until june 30th (the end of my contract). I want to go up north and see my girlfriend. If there's nothing to do why can't I leave? I'll be back to pick up my final pay, release letter etc.
I'm thinking I'll just go anyway or stay at school twidling my thumbs since they 'own' me for the contract period.
any thoughts?

velmeran · Joined: 12 Feb 2007 Posts: 63

learn to play an instrument?

Doesn't sound like you have much of a choice really. Think of it as an in-house vacation and just tour the area? Though if you've been there long you've probably experianced all "5000 years of great chinese culture" you can take for that location.

jamesmollo · Joined: 26 Apr 2007 Posts: 276 Location: jilin china

Well I have been playing guitar for the past ten years.
not really helpful buddy. I was looking for responses from people who have been in a similar situation.

dialogger · Joined: 14 Mar 2005 Posts: 419 Location: China

This came up when I worked in Dalian (University gig).
The way it was put to me by Admin was that even though your own classes had been completed - final assessments marked and reported - you needed to be on site 'available to teach'.
This meant if there were classes that had no teacher - sickness etc you could be asked to fill in.
End of contract (July) is different to mid year (December).
I found that if you wanted to get home for Christmas and were comimg back then you could work extra hours and get your classes over early.
At contract end and you're not coming back - than they tend to want to hold your feet to the fire - kick up about airfare refunds and the like.
Grin and bear it is my advice.

extensa · Joined: 27 Mar 2007 Posts: 3

Your university holds you to the same "standards" as their local Chinese teachers. Most would never be allowed to leave for a week or two while a semester has not officially ended. Nailed to their teaching posts, they could not bear seeing a foreigner taking off as he wishes. Now, I've done in the past, and my university has given me a hard time upon returning. That is, they said that they were trying to get a hold of me...

Steppenwolf · Joined: 30 Jul 2006 Posts: 1769

They might have a last-minute assignment for you to fill the remaining time. China is the kingdom of ad-hockism. The last thing your employer wants you to feel is satisfaction and the pleasure to be on holiday after receiving your dues.

The last two weeks might take up all your time and a lot of energy in a battle royale to get your dues (airfare).

kev7161 · Joined: 06 Feb 2004 Posts: 5880 Location: Suzhou, China

You could show up at your FAO's office every day that you are free and just, you know, bug them. Discuss things with them while they are trying to get their own work done, ask to play games on their computer, etc. When they ask why are you there (if they even ask that is), tell them you're bored and have nothing to do but don't want to sit around in an empty classroom or apartment. Then, when they seem exasperated, drop a hint how you "could" go off and visit your gf if there is truly nothing for you to do.

james s · Joined: 07 Feb 2007 Posts: 676 Location: Raincity

jamesmollo · Joined: 26 Apr 2007 Posts: 276 Location: jilin china

that's not a bad idea kev Laughing

I think of any last minute assigments they may have in mind. But you never know.
They could be planing to send me to a shopping mall to do a song and dance routine dressed up like ronald mcdonald for all I know.
We got our airfare and bonus before spring festival so no problem there. Very Happy

Anda · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 2199 Location: Jiangsu Province

Do lesson prep for your next job so you are off to a flying start. Then you can take it easy while you settle in at your new job and feel your way around before you have to start prepping again.

Never ever burn your bridges in this game as it is a small world. Example the person I worked under on Chedju Island in South Korea met the head professor from my Uni in Australia at a conference somewhere here in Asia.

They are wanting more work history all the time here in Asia for the better jobs and some are doing checks.

ymmv · Joined: 14 Jul 2004 Posts: 387

This sounds like a pure accounting issue to me.

The FAO is not the accounting department. But he's probably doing the bidding of the accounting department (few of whom can speak English).

The Accounting department cuts the paycheck and if the contract says June 30th, by god, that's when they're going to cut your last pay.

UNLESS....

You suggest to the FAO that by letting you leave 2 weeks early, that's two weeks less utilities (electro, etc.) the school will have to pay on your apartment. That might wash with the accounting department and they might cut loose that last pay......

UNLESS....

You are required to pay all or a portion of your utilities under your contract, in which case, the accounting department (not the FAO) wants you around at the end of the month to collect your final pay - less utilities.

As I said, sounds like an accounting problem to me and you need to convince the accounting department, through the FAO, to set you free.

jamesmollo · Joined: 26 Apr 2007 Posts: 276 Location: jilin china

Good advice, thankyou anda. I don't, however, see taking a trip during a no-class period 'burning bridges' I'm not talking about up and leaving straight after my last class. I can't think of anything that they could possibly require me to do. All the students will be going through intensive revision and study. Oral english classes are not part of the english curriculum, and they don't get tested. So my point is, what's the point of me being there?
The same thing happened before spring festival. That is classes stopped 2 weeks before the end of semester (my classes) I was paid for the month along with airfare and bonus, so I went on holiday. Nothing said.

SheZook · Joined: 31 Jan 2006 Posts: 187

I'm finding this one a bit sticky myself. My contract ends on June 30 but school here won't finish until July 14. The school wants me to stay until July 14 as they say I'll have to teach in the final week but I know this isn't the case - last year all the students were busy getting exam results, cleaning classrooms and the like so all the Chinese teachers were poaching my classes (with no notice naturally). Technically, I can go on June 30 but if I do I know I'll have a hassle getting my final pay - they'll probably just keep saying "it hasn't been processed yet" until July 14. So as far as I'm concerned, it's just not worth the hassle arguing over 2 weeks of "holiday" which I'll get paid for anyway. I'm moving after this term anyway so I'll use the time to sort out cr*p, post my stuff off in advance and take some final photos.

Brian Caulfield · Joined: 14 Sep 2004 Posts: 1247 Location: China

Just go and call in everyday with your cell phone . Pretend you off on a day excursion . I am always being asked to report where am at to my FAO but I never can tell them because I have to change plans all the time because of an inability to get train tickets . Or you can tell them the big lie that your grandmother is dieing and you must go see here . I have replaced three teachers in China where the grandmother was dieing .