This won’t be a long post. I’ve just been racking my brain over this decision so I’ll try not to sound too whiny
Basically I’ve been in Taiwan and teaching with Kojen for 5 months now under a 1 year contract. The problem I have is my goals coming here were to save money and see at least one country while I’m here for a year, and those goals are basically fucking gone if I honour my contract with them the rest of the year. I have a measly 14.5 hours a week (after 3 months of 10-12) and its probably gong to be less soon. Tons, and I mean TONS of marking and quiz/handout creation. A typical day is 5-6 hours at work and 2 of those hours is paid. Yeah 590NT/hr is an okay hourly wage, equals to 22$/hr back in Canada where I’m from, but in reality when you dilute it down to all my extra time there marking and making assignments, its dog shit.
Now, if this was typical, I wouldn’t complain nearly as much, but I’ve met too many new friends who have been here just as long as I have with just as much experience and are making twice, even up to three times as much as me WITHOUT all the insane amounts of marking. They’ve travelled already, haven’t had to worry abut money. Basically the opposite of my experience. I’ve stressed balls over money, put in so much extra work I don’t get compensated for, and won’t be able to travel this year or save next to nothing, and I’m not living large by any means. I eat taiwanese food, drink 711 beer, keep my going to bar nights to a minimum, ride U bike, etc
So, it would be great to have some advice or what you would do in my position. I like Taiwan and want to stay for a year or so, but I want to give my one month notice for this job so bad. There’s a dissonance here between what I want and what I should do. I know I should honour my contract because it’ll look better on my resume yada yada, but if I do I basically flush down my goals for the year and end up with little money and staying put in taiwan.
Start applying for other jobs. Just because you have a one year contract doesn’t mean that it is dishonorable for you to leave early. Once you have a new job then give your notice. Or give your notice earlier if you are confident about finding a new job quickly.
Make sure they haven’t put a ridiculous ending contract early clause in your contract. You might be able to fight it though and not pay.
I worked at Kojen for my first year and your experience is exactly the same. Absolutely insane amounts of HW that the students have to do and that has to be marked. In KHH they seemed to hire one extra foreign teacher for a school and the hours were cut up such that it sucked for everyone. The only way that I had 20 hrs/wk was by working Saturdays and picking up classes from someone who abruptly quit in the middle of his contract but your story is almost identical to mine. I stayed for one year but I really didn’t know any better.
@Ermintrude I’ve heard of Shane but never applied, they’re good? Also why Thailand or China? Just curious
@Abacus Yeah thats what I’ve been thinking. The contract says I would have to give a written letter and with one months notice or I forfeit my last months pay. It doesn’t say this but at work theres a notice saying you have to repay the expenses for the medical shots and airport pickup as well as training costs (ha, what a joke), all in all it would cost about 2,500NT to repay back.) Not too bad of a price to pay.
Also thanks. Thats what I thought at first too until my recruiting agent started guilt tripping me, making me think its ‘wrong’ to break a contract because its breaking a legally binding agreement. Yes I agree it would be ideal not to break it, but if abiding to that contract is making my life sucks balls, its not worth it. I’m on the lookout for other jobs now
The guilt trip thing is silly. You can be fired at any time (with notice) and you can quit at any time (with notice). That’s the way they (the schools) have setup contracts.
Honestly, ditch the agent. He’s guilting you into staying because he’s getting a cut of your salary/year end. He couldn’t care less how you feel. And you don’t need him. Take your resume, walk into whatever bushibans are close / convenient to home or wherever you like to hang out, and talk to the boss. You’re like as not to find something that way. If you don’t find something like that, ask there if they know of anyone else needing a teacher. Also, look at bulletin boards at university campuses for ads for teachers. Most will be private students, but you’ll likely also find some other opportunities.
When’s the next pay day? That’s the last day you work if you think they’re just going to keep your salary. Give notice the day after payday if you want, but don’t work for free.
If you’re not happy, move on. Life is way too short.
I doubt they will keep your salary. They are a major chain and they have clearly written in the contract (according to you) that they will only keep your salary if you don’t give notice. I would give notice whenever you are ready to quit in 30 days. Although I would expect that they will cut your hours even further before that month is up. They did that to me when I gave a month+ notice when I finished my contract. I told the manager if they were going to cut my hours that much that I would consider the contract completed as of this date (way less than 14 hrs) and leave for my vacation on the following Monday. They agreed to a middle ground in the 12-16 hrs/wk range until the final week.
I worked for Shane when I first arrived. As far as cram schools go they are decent enough. For the first six months you get a contract which guarantees you a minimum salary for 80 hours per month. Even if you don’t manage 80 hours per month you still get paid. I ended up doing 25 hours per week so it was quite good.
I think it depends on which branch you work for. I worked for two non-franchise branches; their head office and another in Taipei. As with all cram schools I think a lot depends on the manager or franchisee owner. My experience was positive enough and I always got paid on time. There is also time to take a holiday.
You might not save much but you will earn enough to see a little of Asia.
Try and get into the head office branches in Taipei.
[quote=“chelseadagger”]I worked for Shane when I first arrived. As far as cram schools go they are decent enough. For the first six months you get a contract which guarantees you a minimum salary for 80 hours per month. Even if you don’t manage 80 hours per month you still get paid. I ended up doing 25 hours per week so it was quite good.
I think it depends on which branch you work for. I worked for two non-franchise branches; their head office and another in Taipei. As with all cram schools I think a lot depends on the manager or franchisee owner. My experience was positive enough and I always got paid on time. There is also time to take a holiday.
You might not save much but you will earn enough to see a little of Asia.
Try and get into the head office branches in Taipei.[/quote]
Hi chelseadagger,
I hope I’m not intruding on your privacy, however would you mind disclosing how much were you being paid by Shane school your first six months, and were there any pay increases thereafter?
I’ve heard they usually start off newcomers with NT$530/hr. If being paid 80 hours, that would become significantly less after taxes and your personal spending. Am I mistaken? How was your experience?
[quote=“Abacus”]The guilt trip thing is silly. You can be fired at any time (with notice) and you can quit at any time (with notice). That’s the way they (the schools) have setup contracts.
Also ditch the agent.[/quote]
Actually they can’t fire you just because they feel like it, no matter what the contract says. I mean, they can, but if they don’t have a valid reason they will have to pay severance pay. The list of valid reasons includes things beyond the employee’s control, but it doesn’t include pure whim.
Aside from severance, there’s a fine for retaliating against an employee who complains about something.
If you have proof that the employer is violating the law in a way that affects your rights/interests (and that seems to be true of many if not most buxibans), you have the right to quit within a certain period and still receive severance pay. Read through the Labor Standards Act for details.
[quote=“yyy”][quote=“Abacus”]The guilt trip thing is silly. You can be fired at any time (with notice) and you can quit at any time (with notice). That’s the way they (the schools) have setup contracts.
Also ditch the agent.[/quote]
Actually they can’t fire you just because they feel like it, no matter what the contract says. I mean, they can, but if they don’t have a valid reason they will have to pay severance pay. The list of valid reasons includes things beyond the employee’s control, but it doesn’t include pure whim.
Aside from severance, there’s a fine for retaliating against an employee who complains about something.
If you have proof that the employer is violating the law in a way that affects your rights/interests (and that seems to be true of many if not most buxibans), you have the right to quit within a certain period and still receive severance pay. Read through the Labor Standards Act for details.[/quote]
It isn’t that hard for buxiban to come up with reasons. But it doesn’t change the OP’s situation that the employee can quit at any time. It is written in their contract that they can terminate the contract early as long as they give notice.
[quote=“Abacus”][quote=“yyy”][quote=“Abacus”]The guilt trip thing is silly. You can be fired at any time (with notice) and you can quit at any time (with notice). That’s the way they (the schools) have setup contracts.
Also ditch the agent.[/quote]
Actually they can’t fire you just because they feel like it, no matter what the contract says. I mean, they can, but if they don’t have a valid reason they will have to pay severance pay. The list of valid reasons includes things beyond the employee’s control, but it doesn’t include pure whim.
Aside from severance, there’s a fine for retaliating against an employee who complains about something.
If you have proof that the employer is violating the law in a way that affects your rights/interests (and that seems to be true of many if not most buxibans), you have the right to quit within a certain period and still receive severance pay. Read through the Labor Standards Act for details.[/quote]
It isn’t that hard for buxiban to come up with reasons. But it doesn’t change the OP’s situation that the employee can quit at any time. It is written in their contract that they can terminate the contract early as long as they give notice.[/quote]
Or without notice, using Article 14…
As for coming up with an excuse – and getting away with it – it depends how clever and determined they are or aren’t, how clever and determined the local authorities are or aren’t, and how clever and determined the former employee is or isn’t. (It may also depend on things like whether the former employee has been teaching private lessons illegally on the side and can therefore be blackmailed…) But in principle, they can’t both fire you without a valid reason and avoid paying for it.
?