Job Discussion Forums

[SpedEd]

Hello people:

I also want to mention the situation at my school re. it's apparent unwillingness to fulfill the contract term re. the reimbursement of the round trip ticket value of a flight from my home country. Yes, the ticket value is pricey, but the contract clause clearly states that upon passing the probationary period (1 month) and signing for a one-year contract, I'm entitled for a 50% reimbursement, upon signing, of the actual round-trip ticket value, then receive the remaining 50% ticket value upon completion of the contract. But in fact, it's now approaching month #3 and still no airfare money of any kind offered or paid.
The director has made a big issue re. the ticket itself, as it wasn't a direct flight from my home country to China; rather, it included a connection from a neighboring country. Prior to arriving to the school, the ticket would have been all but five months old. The director and the finance dept. has been making big issues about these things and has shown a lot of reluctance in paying up. How should I approach this sort of bs? I want to resign, but I dont' have a good financial footing yet to do so.
I've been advised by another teacher that I should arbitrate the matter with the local Foreign Affairs Office, as the school has clearly broken the contract, according to him.
In fact, the ticket was pricey. Then again, I live incredibly far from China, as most foreigners teachers do. To date, the school has arrogantly offered to only pay the portion of the ticket from the neighboring Asian country from which I made the connection. I think this is utter CRAP! Should I take the matter to the nearest FAO? And what are my chances of winning a settlement if I do?

[vikuk]

[arioch36]

I have had good luck with informal arbitration at the province FAO, that is, I go there, tell them what's up, they call the school , and ask the school why they are not following the contract.

I had the school do this to me once here in Henan. One way ticket 7,000, they said, "sorry, we can only give you 3,000"

[7969]

[Ger]

Very clever of you to have negotiated reimbursement of 50% of your flight to be paid after a month. Now 3 months have elasped and no payment. Of course, 3 months is "after a month"! Perhaps a date upon which the school should pay the 50% should have been specified in the contract.

One Chinese person once said to me, "You have an idea, but no method by which to turn it into a fact."

Not all flights are direct. Indirect flights are sometimes cheaper. If I were you I would not accept the lesser amount from the Asian-country leg of the indirect flight to China unless you really have to. Try to get the the full ticket amount pro-rata - if the director agrees put it in writing English and Chinese.

If this doesn't work, then provincial arbitration at the FAO may be an option, but the school could retaliate, and you could lose out in the end. Remember, your life and safety are worth more than the price of a flight ticket!

[North China Laowei]

First, if I might ask, in which province are you located? Some provincial Foreign Expert Bureaus are more helpful than others.

I have actually seen the Guangdong Foreign Experts' Bureau in action, so to speak, on two occasions, and although they had to be prodded on the one occasion and not prodded on the other, the results were still favorable in both cases. In one case, a considerable amount of money was involved (transportation reimbursement, bi-semester travel allowance) for a couple who had ended their contract early but under due-and-proper form. The school "coughed up" the money under direct orders, or shall we say, a polite request from the GFEB to the President (yes, the President) of the University. The second case involved another university wherein a university categorically refused to allow a foreign teacher to live in university housing with his duly-married and legally married and long-term married Chinese spouse. Again, the issue was resolved on a telephone call.

Do involve them.

[SpedEd]

[North China Laowei]

[Anda]

Look you have to think the whole thing over properly. With most government contracts they state 7,000 RMB for the return ticket for the year. My new contract states full travel cost including getting to and from airports etc. If you do make a big thing out of this at this stage then it is likely that you will be given a bad time for the rest of the year if not sacked.

If you were to see Foreign Experts' Bureau now and ask them how much should the school pay you for the year and leave it to the end of your contract and then claim for the whole return ticket through the Foreign Experts' Bureau you would be better off than making a big noise now.

If you leave now then you will probably have not a great chance of getting a new job start until the beginning of September. You are stuck as far as I can see. Sit tight until you are in a better financial position.

[Mei Sheng]

US and them.

P

[Lorean]

First, threaten the school with legal acction.