Does anyone have experience working with GEM? I hear the company is terrible but I was thinking of getting fired asap to break contract and then find a different job elsewhere. But I’m worried that my VISA may be revoked, or if I quit that breaking the contract would lead to me being fined/sued?
As an aside, I’m wondering if key money is something that I need to pay if I’m being hired by an organization providing me with housing?
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Just quit. Being fined would be illegal. You won’t be sued. Your visa is yours, not your employer’s, they can’t revoke it. If you find a job in about 90 days you’ll have no problem but be sure to inform immigration about the change.The obligation to pay key money depends on the agreement you have.
Gem School in Shikoku? If so I worked there, and am returning in a couple months
There is a lot going on here but I will try to answer your questions one by one:
1) Heard of GEM? Yep, I know a handful of people who have worked there. GEM fires people for made up reasons, engages in harassment as a matter of day-to-day business, and breaks several laws regularly. Do you enjoy taking vacation days? Well GEM does not like when you do that and they will tell you that you cannot. Do you like working set hours? Well GEM does not like that, and they will change your schedule whenever they please, so say goodbye to your friends and social life. Do you like how their monthly income looks on paper? Well, a couple dozen thousand yen of that is actually “bonuses” that are only there to be taken away.
2) Quitting or getting fired: companies typically avoid firing employees, because they need to give 30 days notice and they are worried that employees will contest the termination. If you want to leave the job soon, quitting is the way. If it is your first contract with the company (assuming you are on a limited term contract), then you are liable to be sued for breaking contract. If it is your second or later contract, then you only need to give two weeks notice. Also, if your contract has no “advance notice for quitting” clause, even if it is your first contract, then you can quit with two weeks notice.
A company can technically sue you for quitting early based on damages to the business, but companies rarely sue because the lawyers fees are often more expensive than a month of income for english teachers in Japan, not to mention it is a lot of work and hassle when they are trying to shore up their human resources issue now.
Every single company in Japan is doing something illegal. It just depends on which illegal things you can stand – that, or join a labor union and prevent your bosses from dicking you around in the first place.
Worked there when I lost my job due to COVID-19, I gave a two month notice and the owner threatened to sue me and revoke my visa (she can’t do that) retained a lawyer and she backed off. She acted like I killed a kid or something after giving a proper notice.
I wouldn’t recommend it, one of the worst working experiences ever, but I feel free to pm me about it.