My classes are winding down and the school is stringing me along with the promise of upcoming classes that haven’t materialised, even after a long period of prompting and nagging. I’m not sure whether business is genuinely bad or if they’re trying to force me out to avoid paying severance. Basically I’m torn between whether to go to the MoL and request a mediation, or to find something new and give in my notice.
The sticking issue with the latter is that, if I don’t complete my existing classes (<10 hours a week, spread over 5 days) there is a clause in my contract that states I am to pay the school an absurd amount of money (something like 30k NT per class), and some of those classes drag into February.
Has anyone ever been in a similar situation? What should I do? It seems like, financially, I’m screwed either way, and the school is definitely at fault.
Not sure where, but in a previous discussion I remember a few users came to the conclusion that these clauses are not legal, and they would never be able to be actually sue you for that money. If anyone remembers the discussion please link it so can confirm.
You could tell the authorities that your school isn’t giving you the amount of hours required for you to be given a work permit, and maybe they’ll revoke it. You can’t work there anymore without a work permit, and they certainly won’t be able to hold you at fault, legally.
I’m leaning towards your suggestion, but I don’t want to cause the school or manager to lose face by doing something behind their back, and risk poking the hornets nest. Either way - stay or go - I’m not looking at a full paycheck anytime soon, and if I go to a new school I’ll have to pick up the tab for a new health check/ARC/work permit etc. I understand that hours tend to fluctuate in ESL, but the issue has been worse here than any other school I’ve taught at, and at this point I feel a bit cheated.
Unfortunately I’m only on a standard ARC at the moment.
I think you’ve got a bit of a faulty interpretation of the “face” concept there, FWIW. You may feel it’s in your best interest not to provoke them, and that’s fine. But when you are being screwed by someone and retaliate in order to protect your interests, they don’t have a valid claim to being offended.
The traditional method here is mentioning to them as casually as possible that you need the earnings that you are entitled to under the contract, or will need to end the contract, or you will be forced by factors outside your control to contact the labor authorities for their opinion in helping you resolve the situation.
The smartest move would be to find another job asap before you quit. I know it is hard, in moments like this we really want to leave. But be wise, get another job.