foxy
- 2012-07-17
That's in the addendum to the contract, which is equally important, if not more so, than the actual contract itself. You don't wanna arrive from afar only to discover you dislike what's in there!
Newbies, there is the addendum and the contract itself, both deserve your attention! The devil in the detail can oftentimes be found in there! Shift work for teachers, they've crucified the noble profession. Don't let em, leave em teacherless! So many tripwires here, you know,as do I!
By God, the Chinese are tricky, but foreigners here can be more....LOL!
Magister
- 2012-07-17
The work week is Wednesday to Sunday, with Monday and Tuesday off. I am unsure of the actual times for teaching, but it is stated that it is "6 hours of office hours per workday (12am-18:oopm)".
Check the times. If I had to make an educated guess based on the content of the contract and personal experience I would expect that most weekday class will begin after 6pm ie after the office hours, and you may continue teaching until 9pm. Weekends could see you teaching from the morning to the evening possibly with a split shift.
foxy
- 2012-07-16
The official Spring Festival Holiday might last for one week or 10 days, whereas you might not be teaching for four weeks or longer! Chinese staff at public schols are paid for the whole of the school holidays, but you're in the private sector.
Ask about currency conversion. It might be you are restricted to only being allowed to convert 30 percent of your monthly salary to foreign currency, but by the month, not at the end of the contract!
Ask if your salary is gross or net. Income tax will likely be applied, so maybe gross.
Can't think of anything else, good luck!
foxy
- 2012-07-16
What would be useful to know is how many lesson plans/week will you be required to prepare?
Big money, yes. Very busy, yes.
Compare working in Shanxi, public sector through agent - I got 5000 a month in the boondocks for 16 classes, most 45 minutes, but some just 40 minutes/week teaching at an average senior high, grade 2, with a Chinese t/a present. One lesson plan/week, regurgitate it up to 16 times, classes over 3 days, Monday- Wednesday. No make-up classes! When students had exams, I was on 8/week or 6/week. Full pay, very easy job, bags of free time, so low salary, but still more than twice what my Chinese colleagues were on! Cost of living, 1500/month, supporting Chinese wife there with me, drinking beer, 5 big bottles/day and smoking! Cost of living in rural place very cheap, and, last but not least, virtually no chance of being fired!
However, as you like! I just posted this so you can get an idea of teaching in the public sector.
Jason
- 2012-07-16
In regards to Point 1: I forgot to put it "if employee has failed to amend after employer has pointed out".
Point 4/6: I am currently waiting for a response for clarification.
Point 5: The work week is Wednesday to Sunday, with Monday and Tuesday off. I am unsure of the actual times for teaching, but it is stated that it is "6 hours of office hours per workday (12am-18:oopm)".
Point 7: I am not exactly sure, but if I understood it correctly and did the math right, getting paid by the day would be 10000 (monthly) * 1/21.75 = 460 a day. Again, only if I understood that correctly.
I do not know if there is a curfew with the apartment, just another thing I would need to ask about.
In regards to the unresolvable dispute, that is mentioned: "The two parties shall consult each other and mediate any disputes which may arise about the contract. If all attempts fail, the two parties can appeal to the local court"
I can't believe I actually forgot about air fare. Just another thing I will need to ask about.
Spring Festival was one of several paid holidays mentioned.
Apparently, the location of the school is about 4.4 km from the apartment, just a straight shot down two roads. My partner has asked about being provided with bikes, so I hope to hear from them soon.
I am currently waiting for a response about the medical insurance.
Magister
- 2012-07-16
the foreign teacher must take the job of teachers' English training with the Chinese English teacher" (not sure what is meant),
I think they mean you'll have to teach classes to the local staff as well as the paying students. You might want to check if the hours spent teaching this class are included in the 20hours (that's quite high by the way) that you will be expected to teach. Private training schools are infamous for the extras that they add on to teachers schedules that can include things like staff classes, English corners, activity classes, marketing events, etc. These are often not included within the contracted hours but are still compulsory.
Personally I'm not a fan of having to do office hours. I can organize my own time and still teach to a high standard. I wouldn't want to be sat in the office twiddling my thumbs just because I 'have to' be there. The problem with china (although this is likely to change in the next couple of decades) is the abundance of cheap labour. It means that businesses don't seem to worry about concepts like efficiency. Chinese staff work long but not particularly smart. Unfortunately such attitudes spill over into the way FTs are managed and if you give them the chance Chinese management will gladly waste your time.
foxy
- 2012-07-16
Employer will provide introductory instruction and assistance with Chinese law and regulations. The Employer will also provide the Employer’s work regulations and the relevant foreign Expert regulations of the Chinese Government. Party A shall conduct direction, supervision and evaluation of Party B’s work. Party A shall provide Party B with necessary working and living conditions. Party A shall pay Party B’s salary regularly by the month.
Part B shall observe Party A’s working regulations and system concerning administration of foreign experts and shall accept Party A’s arrangement, direction, supervision and evaluation in regard to his/her work. Without Part A’s consent, Part B shall not render service elsewhere or hold concurrently and post unrelated work agreed on Part A.
Contract can be revised, canceled or terminated with mutual consent.
Salary is paid the 15th of each month, but in case of time shorter than a month, payment shall be counted by the day, and
Employee entitled to paid holidays and festivals in China. Certification from doctors for foreigners should be presented for sick leave. Absence without permission deducts three days pay for each day absent.
That's not everything, but I think a lot of the other stuff sounded pretty legit/okay. If something doesn't sound right, I will check to see if I left it out.
Point 1 - This is at odds with the official contract for public schools/universities. If the teaching is not up to scratch in the eyes of the employer, the errors should be pointed out, and the FT should be given a chance to improve. In other words, a written warning, then cancelled or out the door. A dismissal procedure is not in play.
Point 2 - I take it if you're fired for poor teaching, the 5.000 RMB fine doesn't apply.
Point 3 - I think what is meant is that you must teach according to the way the ChineseEnglish teacher wants you to teach. And you must let her train you.
Point 4 - Find out what they mean by this, 20 periods of teaching or 20 clock hours of teaching. The latter would mean you'll be busier teaching than the former would mean.
Point 5 - Five days per week, but is it Monday - Friday, or are Saturdays and Sundays included? And when does the teaching take place, I take it no evening work.
Point 6 - Is this 5 hours included in the office hors, or is it additional to them?
Point 7 - Why not 1/30 or 1/31 or 1/28 or 1/29 per day, depending on the number of actual days in the relevant month(s)?
Other points: First, is there a curfew at your accommodation, ie a gate locked every night at 11 pm, which would be restricting? Second, in a case of an unresolvable dispute, there is no option for you to get the SAFEA arbitration panel involved. this could include an accusation by you of unfair dismissal. Third, why no air fare allowance? Many employers offer at least 5,000 RMB for a 2-semester contract, and 2,500 RMB for a one-semester contract. Fourth, why no travel allowance, at least 1,000 RMB/semester? Fourth, I take it there aren't any paid holidays at Spring Festival or in the summer - in the case of a 2-semester contract, the major holiday in the middle should be paid. Fifth, how far is it from your abode to the classroom. If it isn't within walking distance, will they provide you with a bike? Sixth, how long is each 'teaching hour', for kindergarten students it'll just be 20 minutes. Sixth, what about medical insurance?
in a word, a typical training centre contract!
Jason
- 2012-07-16
Employer will provide introductory instruction and assistance with Chinese law and regulations. The Employer will also provide the Employer’s work regulations and the relevant foreign Expert regulations of the Chinese Government. Party A shall conduct direction, supervision and evaluation of Party B’s work. Party A shall provide Party B with necessary working and living conditions. Party A shall pay Party B’s salary regularly by the month.
Part B shall observe Party A’s working regulations and system concerning administration of foreign experts and shall accept Party A’s arrangement, direction, supervision and evaluation in regard to his/her work. Without Part A’s consent, Part B shall not render service elsewhere or hold concurrently and post unrelated work agreed on Part A.
Contract can be revised, canceled or terminated with mutual consent. Employer can cancel contract if employee does not fulfill contract obligation according to the term stipulated, or if employee has been diagnosed not able to continue to work after a 30 day sick leave. Employee can cancel contract if employer has not provided necessary work and living conditions as stipulated in contract, or if employer has not paid employee as scheduled. 5000 rmb is rewarded to the offended in regards to a broken contract. Duties and responsibilities seem reasonable, save "the foreign teacher must take the job of teachers' English training with the Chinese English teacher" (not sure what is meant), and the amount of time actually worked in a week: twenty hours of teaching time per week, six hours of office hours per workday (12am-18:00pm), and foreign teacher will work five days per week, and spend 5 hrs a week for discussing, preparing, and studying about the lessons for the kids.
Salary is paid the 15th of each month, but in case of time shorter than a month, payment shall be counted by the day, and wage will be 1/21.75 of monthly pay. Employer provides free apartment for employee (pics were sent of apartment, it looked nice).
Employee entitled to paid holidays and festivals in China. Certification from doctors for foreigners should be presented for sick leave. Absence without permission deducts three days pay for each day absent.
That's not everything, but I think a lot of the other stuff sounded pretty legit/okay. If something doesn't sound right, I will check to see if I left it out.
foxy
- 2012-07-15
A few years ago, I was teaching at a key high school in a small city of Hebei province, where a newly-arrived Aussie lady told me she'd been teaching at a training center in Nantong. I'm quite sure she said it was the giraffe outfit. She had said the pay and the accommodation were good, but she was worked like a dog and her teaching was inspected too often, so she left. But if you're one of those who lives to work, and you're a good teacher, that place could be fine for you. However, if you disappoint, expect to be kicked out. I was told that that had happened to a couple of foreign teachers while she was there. Why not give us some details of the terms and conditions of the contract? There are certain red flags that the longtime foreign teachers in China could instantly recognize. What you reckon is good, might well not be so, with all due respect to you. THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAIL, BEWARE!
Hello. I have recently been in contact with this school in the Jiangsu Province about a teaching job. The contract looked pretty decent, the apartment seemed pretty nice. But I don't know too much about the school itself, or the surrounding area. I can't seem to locate the address provided to me via Googlemaps, and the link to their website that was also provided either doesn't actually work, or they don't have a website. I was wondering if anyone knows more about this school, and even better, if anyone has actually worked at this school. Please be objective with you responses, I would like to make a decision about the place with reasonable information about it. Thank you in advance.