Job Discussion Forums

bhallang006 · Joined: 25 Apr 2012 Posts: 5 Location: Wen Jiang, China

Has anyone heard about new requirements for contract length (i.e one year) for universities to acquire Foreign Expert Certification for 2013 in Sichuan Province? After signing a contract with a university, I was told I must now resign a new contract for twelve months but also sign a wavier releasing liability and payment of salary until the school year starts in September. The contract will now be from July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013.

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

No. Something is not right. Stay away.

therock · Joined: 31 Jul 2005 Posts: 1266 Location: China

I wouldn't sign the waiver so the university would have to find another teacher or pay for 12 months.

bhallang006 · Joined: 25 Apr 2012 Posts: 5 Location: Wen Jiang, China

Thank you for the advice, there have been a couple of "red flag' issues with this contract from the beginning. Where can I get information about specific universities in regard to their previous employment records? How can I find out if this place has been a problem in the past or currently? I am hesitant to post the name here as I am uncertain if it would be the proper forum.

therock · Joined: 31 Jul 2005 Posts: 1266 Location: China

You can post the contract, name of school or the issues in the contract you are most concerned about here on this forum.

bhallang006 · Joined: 25 Apr 2012 Posts: 5 Location: Wen Jiang, China

The name of the school is the Tianfu College of the Southwestern University of Finance and Economics. Specifically the Chengdu West Campus. Although the school is reputed to be respectable and is clearly recruiting a large number of foreign teachers, I am having a lot of trouble with communication. This latest issue of renegotiating the contract was coupled with a very rude face to face meeting with the head FAO,

twilothunder · Joined: 09 Dec 2011 Posts: 442

rogerwilco · Joined: 10 Jun 2010 Posts: 1549

leandrachair · Joined: 27 May 2012 Posts: 25

Wait a minute. Why does ANYONE here have an issue with what this school is doing (original post)? Where is the issue with having you sign a ONE year contract and clearly (in another document) agree you will not expect other salary? A school SHOULD do this ! Far too many of you come here and then write messages about coming early, expecting yoru school to house you and pay you since you came early to work for them. Why should a school pay you or house/feed/supply with any benefits if you come early outside of the contract period?

Seems pretty simple to me and yet you get people here bad-mouthing an employer. It is pretty standard business to pay people for what they do for them, not coming early to travel or whatever.

This is why we are not taken seriously, when you bad-mouth an employer expecting special treatment.

Opiate · Joined: 10 Aug 2011 Posts: 630 Location: Qingdao

bhallang006 · Joined: 25 Apr 2012 Posts: 5 Location: Wen Jiang, China

Perhaps I wasn't clear about the problem I am having. Firstly, I had signed a contract with this school. Done deal. Then two weeks later I get an email saying to come to the main campus to discuss the terms of the contract. One there, I was told I must sign a new contract and a wavier. My point being if the PSB or whomsoever changed the requirement feels it necessary to stipulate a year contract, there must be a reason and the school should honour the terms of the new contract as it is written. This was not initiated by me.

7969 · Joined: 26 Mar 2003 Posts: 5782 Location: Coastal Guangdong

What were the terms of the first contract? The dates? Your main problem is you now have a contract beginning next month but won't start getting paid till you begin working on 1 September. Is that correct? Are you currently in the same city as this university? Or nearby? Are there other schools with foreign teachers in that city? If so do you know any of them?

Miles Smiles · Joined: 07 Jun 2010 Posts: 1294 Location: Heebee Jeebee

It sounds like a screw-up in the first contract that promised to pay you through this summer, but someone changed his mind and does not want to pay you. Is that right?

When did you arrive and begin teaching at this school? What was the duration of the contract?

If you signed a contract that says that you will be paid for the summer, it is legally binding, but getting anyone to enforce it is another thing.

Start looking for another school.

choudoufu · Joined: 25 May 2010 Posts: 3325 Location: Mao-berry, PRC

where are you teaching now? different city? and when does your
rp expire? june?

when does your (old) new contract begin? september?

where will you live over the summer? is the school giving you
use of the apartment between contracts?

is it the police saying you must have a valid rp to stay over the
summer, and ya can't get an rp without a contract?

so could be you need a (new) new contract, starting early enough
to get a new rp to allow you to stay without returning home to get
a new z-visa. they're worried you might demand to be paid over
the summer if your contract has already started.

therock · Joined: 31 Jul 2005 Posts: 1266 Location: China