Job Discussion Forums

Bakunin · Joined: 08 Jan 2009 Posts: 21

At present I am in England.
I have been offered a teaching position and have received a copy of the contract.
The job is due to begin on the 7th September.
However, today ( Sunday 31 st Aug ) I have received notification that I will
have to take 2 months unpaid leave.
This was never mentioned previously, neither was it mentioned in the contract.
Is this normal practice in China ?
It came as a bit of a shock and to lose 2 months salary is no small matter.
It is making me wonder about everything I have been told.
Any advice or comments please ?

Very Happy

Mister Al · Joined: 28 Jun 2004 Posts: 840 Location: In there

When is the leave period?

IT2006 · Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2009 5:24 pm Post subject:

Give it a miss. The school may be trying to escape paying return air fare because you will not have worked a full term.

It may also be the school's way of telling you not to come because they've found someone else.

If it looks like a duck and walks like a duck, etc., etc..

LanGuTou · Joined: 23 Mar 2009 Posts: 621 Location: Shandong

There is no such thing as "normal practice" in China!

Even the national laws are interpreted as different bodies or organisations see fit. As for contract and employment law, there is very little chance of a foreign teacher getting adequate protection unless they have lots of money and patience. We just have to rely on the integrity of our individual employers.

You should be entitled to paid leave and this should be written in the contract. If they have made this change with no prior notification, expect other nasty shocks to follow!

Can you divulge who the establishment happen to be?

The Ever-changing Cleric · Joined: 19 Feb 2009 Posts: 1523

chalk · Joined: 29 Aug 2009 Posts: 7

I agree that this could be the school wanting you to back out. Seems they never say 'NO'. I would drop this like a hot rock and cut your losses

Renegade_o_Funk · Joined: 06 Jun 2009 Posts: 125

Play the field next time. Have pending negotiations with 2-3 different schools throughout CHina. That way next time this happens, you can as previously mentioned "drop them like a hot rock" & still not get burned. Twisted Evil

randyj · Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2009 5:30 am Post subject:

By two months unpaid leave, do you mean the contract's duration is ten months instead on twelve? If so, that amounts to a standard offer by schools. Of course, it can be negotiated.

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

It seems we don't always get the full story when someone comes on here seeking advice (no offense to this OP) yet so many advisers automatically assume the school is rotten and tell the inquirer to back out right now - - run, run, RUN! I thought the exact same thought as the previous poster - - 10 month contract with no pay in the summer month holidays. I (and he) could be wrong of course, but we don't know for sure. Granted, there ARE several rotten schools out there and several of us have been burned at one time or another so I can understand the propensity to jump to conclusions, but this seems to be a growing trend around here. My advice to posters is read the original post carefully, perhaps ask a few pertinent and pointed questions, get as much of the full story as you can, THEN respond accordingly.

The Ever-changing Cleric · Joined: 19 Feb 2009 Posts: 1523

LanGuTou · Joined: 23 Mar 2009 Posts: 621 Location: Shandong

I assumed that this two month period related to the winter (Spring Festival) vacation. The school must have known about this policy from the outset but waited until just one week before start of the contract to drop the bombshell.

Clearly this is designed to make it difficult for the OP to pull out or find another job. Undoubtedly the air tickets have already been bought and all the arrangements made.

The Great Wall of Whiner · Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Posts: 4946 Location: Blabbing

Maybe there is some good advice here.
Maybe there is not.
Perhaps we can give you some sound advice.
And I hope some here have some insight on this.
But I was thinking about a few things.
And I thought some more.
About Japan.
And Haikus.
And how they look compared to other posts.
Good luck.
I wish you.

The Great Wall of Whiner · Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Posts: 4946 Location: Blabbing

But seriously, do not take the job. 2 months unpaid leave will hurt you more than financially.

YankeeDoodleDandy · Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:07 am Post subject: Getting Paid

In Hefei at AIAI, I received 11 monthly payments. In Xi'an, I also receive 11 monthly payments. I receive no August paycheck, but I do receive one in February plus my yearly 2,200 RMB travel allowance. Last year an American teacher who was born in Vietnam and moved to America, before he was ten years old only received 10 paychecks. I believe some universities pay you 11 monthly payments and others give us 10 monthly paychecks. NEGOTIATE !!!