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daCabbie · Joined: 02 Sep 2007 Posts: 244

I found out today that I get the 14-15-16 off for Dragon Boat Festival. But, the school says all the teachers have to work the weekend prior to make up for the extra two days we are being given for the holiday, since officially it is only the 16th but they are giving us three days.

I don't work on weekends normally. I explained to the school that I would work the weekend if they pay my overtime. Otherwise I am not responsible for those days. Their response is, 'but all the Chinese teachers are doing it.' My contract is not the same as theirs, is my response.

We went around and around, finally the FAO said she would talk to the English Department and get back to me. I am pretty sure the answer will be, 'you have to work, everyone else is.'

Any suggestions. I am not going to do anything crazy like threaten to quit, but am I in the right? Or is there another way to look at this that I am not seeing?

gene · Joined: 03 Mar 2010 Posts: 187

It is a requirement of class hours and since you will take advantage of those other off days you would be responsible for the rescheduled classes. On the other hand perhaps you could cause the school to resend those days off and instead work the normal schedule with just the one day free. This no doubt would make you very popular with the rest of the teaching staff.

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

This took me 2 or 3 years to figure out, but here it is:

The holiday is just a one-day holiday. June 16th, I believe. That is a Wednesday. Instead of having students come to school on Mon./Tues. then take a day off, then come back Thursday/Friday, some schools "exchange" the previous Sat./Sun. (June 12th/13th) for Mon./Tues. (June 14th/15th) so everyone can have a 3-day holiday instead of a two day weekend - - work two days - - one day holiday - - work two days - - two day weekend. My school hasn't told me yet, but often they will make that Sunday before into a half day and the kids go home at 11:00 with teachers following close behind them.

So, really, you are not in the right. It would be less frustrating if the schools could be more up front about this and could explain it to you in a simple way at the beginning of the semester or maybe even give you full year-long schedule with holidays and traded days included so you could be more mentally prepared instead of blowing your cork about it (believe me, I did the same those first couple of years in China!).

PS: At my school, we also have the 17th/18th off as our classrooms will be used for city-wide Junior middle school testing. We have to work on the 20th (Sunday) to make up for it, but actually get an extra free day as a bonus - - we get Monday-Saturday off! Kind of crazy so near the end of the term, but now I can go to the Expo on a weekday that is not a holiday! Less crowds I hope.

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

Purely from a selfish point of view, I really hope my university does the same thing. My schedule is arranged such that I only have to teach from 8:00 to 9:50 on Monday and Wednesday with the rest of my ten hours being on Friday.

If they change that Monday class to Saturday, it would mean that I would be finished by 10:00 am on Saturday morning then not have to teach again until the following Friday. I can live with that Very Happy

I bet they don't do this at my university though! Crying or Very sad

mike w · Posted: Thu Jun 03, 2010 8:14 am Post subject:

creztor · Joined: 30 Dec 2009 Posts: 476

Do you like working at that particular school? If you do, I would take the initiative and apologize for the confusion and let them know you are happy to work on the weekend. You made a mistake, we all do it.

daCabbie · Joined: 02 Sep 2007 Posts: 244

If the work week runs from Monday to Sunday then by pushing the two extra days off to the previous week I am being asked to teach 28 hours in that one week. That is my reason for asking for the overtime. I understand that the next week I have fewer hours than normal. But my contract says overtime for anything over 20 hours.

I have spoken with the previous school I worked for and they are only taking the 16th off, so this is in no way an across the board policy for all of China to swap the extra two days for a saturday/sunday.

samhouston · Joined: 17 Jan 2007 Posts: 418 Location: LA

No one seems to have mentioned how retarded this is. And straight from the top, too. Mandatory weekends, what the hell? But you get three days off in a row, they say with a big smile. Yes, preceded by a seven day work week, idiots! And sometimes, you get smacked with a seven day work week right after the days off. This screws up everything for me, since, ironically, given my above complaints, I actually work at another school on the weekends! Blarney!

creztor · Joined: 30 Dec 2009 Posts: 476

There is no point in discussing how stupid/good/whatever it is because it simply will not change the fact that most people will still need to work. I see it as something you can work yourself all up over and hot and blimey about or just accept that you are working and start thinking about things that are much more important.

Sinobear · Joined: 24 Aug 2004 Posts: 1269 Location: Purgatory

daCabbie · Joined: 02 Sep 2007 Posts: 244

I will teach the Saturday and Sunday, that is not really the issue. But the days being switched to the previous week pushes me over my contracted 20 hours a week. Shouldn't overtime be paid in this event? My contract says overtime for anything more than 20 hours, that week I will have to work 28 hours. The work week is Monday to Sunday.

malu · Joined: 22 Apr 2007 Posts: 1344 Location: Sunny Java

Something similar happened to me so I kept quiet and phoned sick on the weekend in question.

Teatime of Soul · Joined: 12 Apr 2007 Posts: 905

By the contract, you are indisputably correct.

But you might want to choose your battles carefully.

One day, you might need or want some modification in your obligations to them.

Either way, enjoy the holidays.

colonel · Joined: 19 Jul 2005 Posts: 89 Location: Nanyang and Cha-Am

Optional_Toaster · Joined: 22 Mar 2009 Posts: 74 Location: Dong bei

I'd have to agree with the colonel, some give and some take. My last job had a very nice 'no weekends' clause, which got us out of a few weekends of makeup work. My new, and soon to be old place, has no such clause in my contract, so I'm obliged to deal with it. For me, that has meant a seven-day week twice in the course of a year...I'd rather not do it, but once it's over it is water under the bridge.

Best to just let it slide and relax. Last semester that meant movie time, but this semester it just means more work...they've got to finish their textbook. I'm lucky to have good students....