Thoughts on the details of my contract?

Work Teaching English in Taiwan
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I’m currently on the cusp of signing a contract with a buxiban, but I wanted to double check some of the details with others, including the people on this site (I’m also checking over on reddit).

Pay: 700 NTD an hour

Work hours: 14 or more a week

Scheduled hours: from 5 to 8 on weekdays, 10 to 12 on Saturdays. Sundays and Tuesdays off.

Classes: Mostly groups of 8-10 elementary school kids, but with some one-on-one tutoring classes thrown in as well.

Training period: There will a training period during which I will be trained in how to conduct classes using the school’s style and curriculum. I will still be working and teaching classes during this period, but it will involve observation lessons and occasional co-teaching. There will also be reduced hours during this period. After training, I will then move to a normal work style. All teachers currently teach on under normal work conditions, with 700 an hour standard.

Training pay: 350 NTD an hour during the training period

Training period length: Depends on the teacher. Some take two weeks, some take two months. Average is about one month. Since I have experience, they said I should expect it to be shorter than average.

Sick days: No teaching = no pay. Pretty standard it seems

Vacation days: Only during the pre-set vacation periods. Two weeks in summer, two weeks in winter. Once again, seems standard.

Advance Cancellation of Contract: Contract is for one year, but can be withdrawn in advance if both parties agree and if the request is done one month in advance.

Thoughts on this contract? Also, is a training period with reduced hours and pay normal? That’s sticking out to me for some reason. If it’s normal, then I’ll deal with it.

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1 month training at 1/2 pay? You’re giving them your time why work for less.

If you’re desperate, I guess it sounds good? Otherwise, negotiate that pay thing. Picture a scenario where they tell you for 2 months that you need more training and they decide when to increase your pay. You’d be playing the chump.

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It takes up to two months to train someone to teach at a buxiban?? Um, what? Sounds like they’re trying to squeeze some extra half-price hours from their teachers by calling it “training.”

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It’s not really uncommon in a certain class of school, but 14-19? hours a week at $700 doesn’t suggest it’s that class of school.

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Thanks everyone. It seems like I was right to feel skeptical.

I had told them before that I was planning on taking the job, but would need to complete my health check first. So, when I came in today, they wanted me to sign the contract (which I had asked for once before, but was told they didn’t have an English copy on hand at that moment) and application for the work permit right then and there, so they could apply for it tomorrow. They have everything else from me required for it except the health check, which I held off on giving them until tomorrow. They’re apparently short of teachers so they need me ASAP.

I said I wouldn’t sign anything until I could take the contract home and run it over. They put some definite pressure on me to sign because “they didn’t have much time, we need a teacher right away” and were surprised I was showing pushback after being interested earlier. I said I would come in tomorrow to sign it if it seemed on the level. Should I do so, they will be filing the work permit application immediately afterward.

They told me to let them know if I won’t be coming in. It looks like I’ll be doing just that. Hopefully no problems result from this when continuing the job hunt at other buxiban.

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You seem satisfied with pretty much everything else … why wouldn’t you just push back on the half-pay for training thing? If they really need teachers as much as they say, and you have experience, that seems like something they would be likely to give on, especially if you tell them you wouldn’t mention it to anyone.

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I’d ask them how the training is structured. If there’s any unobserved teaching then they’re taking the piss.

If they’re short of teachers it’s difficult to see how they could run such a long training program.

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SIC
SIC2590×828 112 KB

Save your proof, either with the company, conversations, or doctor’s notes. Make sure that the agreement that you are taking a sick leave is recorded somehow.

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:white_check_mark:

Work hours: 14 or more a week

:white_check_mark:

Scheduled hours: from 5 to 8 on weekdays, 10 to 12 on Saturdays. Sundays and Tuesdays off.

:white_check_mark:

Classes: Mostly groups of 8-10 elementary school kids, but with some one-on-one tutoring classes thrown in as well.

:white_check_mark:

Training period: There will a training period during which I will be trained in how to conduct classes using the school’s style and curriculum. I will still be working and teaching classes during this period, but it will involve observation lessons and occasional co-teaching. There will also be reduced hours during this period. After training, I will then move to a normal work style. All teachers currently teach on under normal work conditions, with 700 an hour standard.

:thinking:

Training pay: 350 NTD an hour during the training period

:x:

The training is clearly part of your job. The payment itself is legal (above the Basic Wage), but they still need to give you at least 14 hours per week if they’re your primary employer, assuming they’re a buxiban applying for a normal work permit.

(Oh, and they do need to get the work permit before you start this training.)

Training period length: Depends on the teacher. Some take two weeks, some take two months. Average is about one month. Since I have experience, they said I should expect it to be shorter than average.

So they won’t actually give a timeline? Legally acceptable but professionally a bit insulting. :2cents:

Sick days: No teaching = no pay. Pretty standard it seems

:x:

As Marco pointed out, buxiban teachers are subject to the Labor Standards Act and therefore also the Regulations of Leave-Taking of Workers.

Vacation days: Only during the pre-set vacation periods. Two weeks in summer, two weeks in winter. Once again, seems standard.

Paid or unpaid? :thinking:

Under the LSA, you get a small amount of paid annual leave, plus your regular pay for holidays that fall on workdays or double pay for holidays on which you work; holidays can be swapped with regular workdays if both parties agree, but the result is that you get the same number of days off with pay and/or workdays with double pay.

Advance Cancellation of Contract: Contract is for one year, but can be withdrawn in advance if both parties agree and if the request is done one month in advance.

:white_check_mark:

Either party can also terminate the contract early, even without advance notice, under certain conditions. See LSA Art. 11 to 14.

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