Job Discussion Forums

[SpedEd]

Hello all,

I'm working for an ESL school where the owner recently asked the native teaching staff if they would attend an unpaid 'special event' this May 1st. I understand that both May 1st and 2nd (3rd?) are national holidays over here.
Admittedly, I feel crappy about being asked to 'volunteer' my time on even one of these days because the staff and I have to work long weeks as it is, and the holidays we are allowed to take seem few and far between, indeed, about 10 in total over one year.

The owner and admin have been known to weasel their way out of paying up teachers under varying guises, from a teacher not having the 'appropriate' receipt to warrant a paid sickday to said teacher not having signed a given paper with a particular time-date stamp to justify being paid holiday time issued to other teachers, all of whom left the school shortly thereafter, and despite my bringing it up time on a couple of occasions. In addition, they seem to have a propensity to load us up with work just prior to a paid holday.

In fairness to the admin and ownership, they may legally be able to justify their actions, but perhaps the results speak louder than legalities: every one of the full-time teachers at this particular campus either left before completing the contract, or of the few who did, didn't sign up for a second go as a full-timer.

Now on to my specific question, which is in the event that I'm told to attend one of these public gatherings on a national holiday, what action should I take that will allow me to both thwart a crafty attempt to make me work on a nat. holiday while at the same time not angering them enough to get myself in the doghouse? (I'm pretty close to finishing the contract.)

[Russell123]

Your school sounds like an horrendous place to work. I think being asked to do crap like this is part of working in China, but so is saying no. If you're in a place that punishes you for it, I wouldn't hesitate to practice the Chinese art of the face-saving lie.

Can you just tell them you already have plans and leave it at that?

Canceling due to a 'bad stomach' also seems to work wonders. No one ever wants to hear the details.

Getting out of town might be a good idea as well.

[brsmith15]

Persuant to Russell's comments, buy an emetic (or stick your fingers down your throat) and throw up on your boss' desk.

Seriously, they're using you as so many schools do here in China. Ask for overtime pay. That's the same way it's handled in honest places.

[kev7161]

May 2nd and 3rd are NOT holidays, they are the weekend immediately following the May 1st holiday. If one normally doesn't work weekends, then so much the better, then they get a so-called 3-day "holiday". If you work at a language school and you generally work a Saturday and/or Sunday, then you may well still work either of those days and not be paid extra or really be allowed to complain about it when you see others enjoying a 3-day weekend. However, your school should have canceled classes for Friday, May 1st. Asking you to "volunteer" for an event on a holiday should be exactly that - - voluntary. If you'd rather enjoy your one day of freedom (with no repercussions allegedly), then you should do so without an ounce of guilt. If they try and pressure you or withhold pay or get back at you in the future for your refusal, well . . . I know what I would do.

[Hansen]

If you have legitimate plans or intentions to do something on that day, do it. Simply say you have other plans and are not available. If you are just planning to watch your favorite Japanese porn cartoon or whatever, then perhaps "volunteering" might not be such a bad idea.

I'm lucky that my school does not pull this kind of stuff. I have seen contracts in which it is stated that the FT will participate in certain extra activities, such as this. If you agreed, bad on you. Usually, during the interview, these extra activities are played down by the interviewer.

You should not be expected to spend your "free" time doing school activities without pay. If you do, consider becoming a bitter alcoholic now because that's where it will lead you later.

You might give them an hour or so at your convenience.

[The Ever-changing Cleric]

Sped Ed, who would you rather felt crappy?

A. you
B. your boss.

I think your initial post was enough to tell you what to do. Tell your boss (who seems to be running a less than stellar organization, to politely take a hike. You've got plans.

[Shan-Shan]

[Sonnibarger]

well said shan shan

[xiao51]

I agree with the two previous posters...SpedEd, your situation is tricky but if you are coming to the end of your contract, then you have two different avenues of approach, both fraught with some problems.

I have a female colleague of mine here at another school in the general area where I work. Her contract allows her two personal days off per term, both without pay. Six weeks before Easter, she requested Good Friday and Easter Monday off. She was granted the leave. She bought a plane ticket, one of the non-refundable kind, to a distant city in China. On the Thursday eve before Good Friday, they pulled her leave for some obscure reason. She lost the entire ticket as it was not refundable. A real power trip on their part to show who was the vassal and who was the overlord. She cried hard and didn't take the leave.

End result -- she will go home at the end of the term and is absolutely not renewing her contract although they begged (it's one of those schools that has trouble getting teachers in the first place, or so she tells me). I felt really bad for her.

In the end, consider your final options -- the longer term ones. If you are worried about airfare reimbursement, last month's salary, etc., etc., then do the free gig. Be warned, however, that won't stop them from not paying you, etc., etc. After all, one lesson that I have learned hard in China is that if it looks like sleaze, and smells like sleaze, then it must be sleaze.

I truly wish you well on this one.

[China.Pete]

Aren't employers required to pay you triple your normal pay for working on a national holiday? That's why so many people in China get the day off.

[kev7161]

[Russell123]

[Hansen]

Xiao, Your colleague, who allowed herself to be ripped off as she was, what can be said in her defense? It's unbelievable that she would accept treatment like that. I can't say that she deserves it but there must be something about her that let her employers know they could get away with it. Had she simply said "Sorry" and left as planned, what would they have done?

[kev7161]

Yes, it is true. For those that would like a brief history: The May Day "Golden week" used to consist of a 3 day holiday + the weekend that was before or after it, giving you 5 days. Then many schools would manipulate those 5 days into a full week by trading out the other weekend with a couple of weekdays so you could get a full week off (note I said MANY, not all). You could have well worked 7-8 days before the "golden" week in order to get those glorious 7 days off in a row.

Last year, the government decided to do away with the 3-day May holiday and divide the days up into 3 one-day holidays (we have one more coming up in June and we recently had Qing Ming day - is that the right pinyin?). If a language mill or other business wants to close on the weekend although it's usually open so you can have 3 days off, then that's great for you. I have no idea if that is widespread or not.

[SpedEd]

Whew, that was a close one! As predicted, the owner politely asked at the staff meeting if we would confirm our attendance for Friday's volunteering. To my knowledge, no one took the kindly offer (I hustled it outta there!) Thankfully, she didn't persist and I got my paid holidays (Fri. and Sat.).
The day before, she had even issued memos to the native staff re. the Fri. event. Maybe she thought the hangovers from our Wednesday night's binge drinking hadn't worn off and we'd cave in