I think you'll find the supposed fine for leaving early is 1000 USD, not yuan!

When I had to leave Beijing for pressing family issues back home, I informed them two weeks before the end of term that I would have to leave afterwards. I ended on a good note with my school and was getting ready for a difficult time back with my family, when told by the hr director (Jolin) that she wanted to fine me US$1000 for leaving before the end of my contract. However, I knew she couldn't do that because I don't have a legal contract with them, seeing as I am under 24 and have only a business visa instead of a work visa (this is how Expertise gets around foreign worker regulations in Beijing). Aside from that, I simply wouldn't give them $1000 and would get on a plane and leave, and had no obligation to pay such a ridiculous 'fine'.

She said instead of this she would just keep all of my pay from the previous month, which I thought was still unfair because I had worked for it, and Expertise usually keeps around half of foreign teachers' monthly pay anyway, so they had made quite a lot of money off me already.

My experiences with Expertise left a bitter taste in my mouth and the particular nastiness of that one employee more than anything else. If she hadn't been so horrible to deal with, I might not have even bothered posting this. And I can absolutely confirm that after the initial recruiting stage you will see no more of the American recruiter Scott; he will disappear like a ghost.

Hope this helps!