Contracts and What To Look For

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Schnerby

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Contracts and What To Look For
« on: March 18, 2008, 12:41:51 PM »
As standard practice I ask to see a school's contract early in the process. I have decided to post slected passages from the contract of the Hainan Provincial Government Kindergarten. They got some shocker reviews so really they weren't an option but this just confirms my suspicions...

Don't worry, you don't have to talk me out of going here. It isn't an option.

Here we go

The Kindergarten will pay the foreign teacher an after tax salary of 4000 China Yuan Renminbi (RMB) / calendar month worked. Hmmm... not a good start

The Kindergarten will provide the teacher with an on-campus apartment with private air-conditioned bedroom with private balcony, and shared living, kitchen and bathroom areas (maximum three teachers per apartment). lovely... share a bathroom with 2 others? I don't think so

The Kindergarten will provide one bottle of gas for cooking and heating per teacher per month. Payable into their monthly salary upon presentation of a receipt. Should the teacher require additional gas the Kindergarten can arrange for its delivery at the foreign teacher’s expense that's a new clause I haven't seen before

In the event that a foreign teacher does not wish to reside in a Kindergarten provided apartment and makes private arrangements for their accommodation, the Kindergarten will reimburse the foreign teacher’s return daily bus fare upon presentation of ticket receipts, payable together with the monthly salary. how generous! A bus fare!

In the event that a foreign teacher does not wish to reside in a Kindergarten provided apartment and makes private arrangements for their accommodation the foreign teacher will be responsible for their own utilities, furniture and rental costs. hmmm... sucks

The Kindergarten will reserve 2000 RMB from the foreign teacher’s first salary as a ‘trust deposit’. say what? Live on 2000RMB for the first month. Are you crazy? Thats $300AUD

Provided: the two parties cooperate well at the end of the contract; the foreign teacher’s apartment is left in good condition; and the foreign teacher’s Foreign Expert’s Certificate has been returned to the Kindergarten, the trust deposit will be returned to the foreign teacher upon receipt of the apartment keys. Oh and I bet that won't happen, cooperation is a rather abstract concept after all

Lessons completed 1 week in advance and presented to the foreign affairs officer for approval.

Utter a word in Chinese, get a 50RMB penalty.

Oh yeah and to get these generous wages you have to teach 30 thirty-minute periods a week, plus meetings, Saturday duties, professional development and admin. Hooray!











Contracts and What To Look For
« Reply #1 on: March 18, 2008, 06:57:02 PM »
That just might be the most offensive job posting I've ever seen.  What, because they're in Hainan they think they can pay one third what a kindie teacher is worth?

Trust deposit. bbbbbbbbbb
And there is no liar like the indignant man... -Nietszche

Nothing is so fatiguing as the eternal hanging on of an uncompleted task. -William James

englishmoose.com

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Lotus Eater

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Contracts and What To Look For
« Reply #2 on: March 18, 2008, 08:14:55 PM »
Quote
Utter a word in Chinese, get a 50RMB penalty.

Ever or just in class?  That's a killer.  I take it that there are no Chinese lessons provided to FTs??

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Schnerby

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Contracts and What To Look For
« Reply #3 on: March 19, 2008, 11:50:02 AM »
I apologise if I offended anyone. I simple meant to post this as a display of what I believe is unacceptable.

I understand some people like sharing a house. I am one of them but there is no way I would share a bathroom with 2 others. You would be pretty locked in since there is no rent allowance available if you don't like the place.

Also, if you want foreign teachers, you have to pay for them. I'm not going overseas to work for a month on a volunteer basis (really I would need more than 2000RMB for the settling in period) unless it was for a charity or other similar thing.

Just an opinion, I don't expect everyone to agree with me...

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Schnerby

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Contracts and What To Look For
« Reply #4 on: March 19, 2008, 11:51:23 AM »
And yeah I imagine the speaking Chinese only applies to the kindergarten classes. I don't imagine they would monitor you out of class (although nothing is out of the question...  uuuuuuuuuu)

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Lotus Eater

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Contracts and What To Look For
« Reply #5 on: March 19, 2008, 01:23:30 PM »
Schnerby - Con wasn't talking bout your thoughts - he was talking about the conditions!! We all agree with your assessment of the position.

I also figure that they were talking about in class.  But ... Nova in Japan used to have rules against socialising with the students or their families and speaking Japanese, so it is always possible that they could mean out of class as well.

However, many other places offer Chinese classes for their FTs so this one is a bit different.

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Schnerby

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Contracts and What To Look For
« Reply #6 on: March 19, 2008, 10:12:15 PM »
Yep I got that, not aimed at you Con or anyone in particular. Just coverimg my butt.

Does someone draft these contracts for the schools? Generally the English seems pretty good even though nobody at the school can put a sentence together.

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Contracts and What To Look For
« Reply #7 on: March 19, 2008, 10:38:53 PM »
They are often based on the 'SAFEA' official contract with each institution adding bits here and there.