After three years in China, I have noticed a growing trend... Schools offering monthly or end-of-contract bonuses. Ive worked mostly for training schools here, and more and more they seem to be lowering initial salary offerings, but attempting to sweeten the contract with monthly bonuses (usually based on student feedback) ranging from 1000-1500RMB per month, above the base salary.

Public institutions (primary, middle, and universities) are offering end-of-contract bonuses. Luckily, I get high ratings from my students, but I always refuse to participate in these bonus programs because I dont want my salary to fluctuate, and because I usually work part-time, these bonus plans usually dont apply to me anyway.

My full time foreign colleagues often tell me that the training schools become very creative in finding ways to deny them the bonus each month; often changing the criteria at a moments notice (i.e. You didnt wear a tie every day, or You spoke too quickly this month, or some such nonsense). They also tell me that the teacher must usually score at least a 95% excellent rating from students to obtain the full bonus.

Ive read a number of testimonies on this website (and other ESL website discussion forums) from FTs claiming theyve been denied these sizeable (4000-8000RMB) end-of-contract bonuses at universities and other public schools.

As I said, I never agree to these salary plans, but Id like to know other FTs experiences with this ever-growing contract trend. Have you been burned, or fairly rewarded?