Job Discussion Forums

smellymelly · Joined: 13 Oct 2007 Posts: 59

what are the typical consequences of breaking contract in China? I broke contract with my previous school and I have now been told that I may be "blacklisted" and never allowed into the country, AT ALL. Is this true?

Amaguq · Joined: 09 Sep 2007 Posts: 1219 Location: Columbia, MD

Previously, breaking a contract meant it was almost impossible to get work in that province again (the school owns your right to work in that province indefinitely, until they formally release you). However, I don't know if that has been extended to the country or not. Bear in mind, visa issues right now aren't exactly operating under standard rules.

e_jorgensen · Joined: 06 Jul 2004 Posts: 276 Location: Chico

Break it. It's so fun. Take a vacation. Go to Hong Kong or some other nice place, then come back in on a Tourist visa. Nobody would be the wiser once you got a stint at a new school.

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

Um, it's going to depend on who you are working for and their connections and which province and the reason that you want to leave. It certainly isn't an easy country to job change in. A lot of other countries are the same however these days.

vikuk · Joined: 23 May 2007 Posts: 1842

Some China EFL jobs - indeed the worse paying - could be likened to indentured labor.

Lorean · Joined: 21 Dec 2006 Posts: 476 Location: Beijing

If your new job asks for your release letter and letter of recommendation then you may be SOL.

Depends on what school you are working for, and the legality of your employment. In my two years as a teacher I've never seem anyone totally blacklisted. The manager at my first school almost constantly threatened "you'll never work in China again!!11`" do the wide-eyed newbies; yet, I know for a fact they didn't have the power to follow through.

We could better answer your question if you could provide more background about your school.

vikuk · Joined: 23 May 2007 Posts: 1842

bradlarsen · Joined: 15 Jan 2005 Posts: 74

william wallace · Joined: 14 May 2003 Posts: 2869 Location: in between

I was a at a horrid school, it was so bad it lowered my self-esteem- I ended up not showing up for work....I did a total FCK it..........
I feel very bad,but my self-esteem is up some.
Others could handle the compromising,but I ended up unable to do so...so FCK it!

william wallace · Joined: 14 May 2003 Posts: 2869 Location: in between

I was a at a horrid school, it was so bad it lowered my self-esteem- I ended up not showing up for work....I did a total FCK it..........
I feel very bad,but my self-esteem is up some.
Others could handle the compromising,but I ended up unable to do so...so FCK it!
I would happily go toe-to-toe with anyone from this shite school that disses me over what I did.

william wallace · Joined: 14 May 2003 Posts: 2869 Location: in between

I was a at a horrid school, it was so bad it lowered my self-esteem- I ended up not showing up for work....I did a total FCK it..........
I feel very bad,but my self-esteem is up some.
Others could handle the compromising,but I ended up unable to do so...so FCK it!
I would happily go toe-to-toe with anyone from this shite school that disses me over what I did.

william wallace · Joined: 14 May 2003 Posts: 2869 Location: in between

I was a at a horrid school, it was so bad it lowered my self-esteem- I ended up not showing up for work....I did a total FCK it..........
I feel very bad,but my self-esteem is up some.
Others could handle the compromising,but I ended up unable to do so...so FCK it!
I would happily go toe-to-toe with anyone from this shite school that disses me over what I did.

william wallace · Joined: 14 May 2003 Posts: 2869 Location: in between

sorry,but my new ISB is not so good.

Mydnight · Posted: Fri Sep 05, 2008 4:53 pm Post subject:

All in all, you have to learn to take care of yourself first. When it comes to money or something related to business, the money or business will ALWAYS come first in the Chinese mind. No matter how you break your back for them, they usually won't do the same for you.

Break a contract in that city, you MIGHT (and that's a big might), have trouble getting work elsewhere in that city. Province? Most schools aren't that hooked up to even know what's going on in schools in adjacent cities; not to mention the one in the adjacent block.

Just be careful. If you are going to make a getaway, make 100 percent sure you can do it cleanly.

eddy-cool · Joined: 06 Jul 2008 Posts: 1008

Were you morally entitled to breaking that contract?