I work at a fairly big eikaiwa as a part-time teacher on an hourly contract. My hours are generally set, so let’s say Monday, Tuesday and Friday 2-8pm. Sometimes my work has adjustment days where I have no lessons and I don’t get paid for these days, so say the last Tuesday and Friday of this month are adjustment days to make up for the national holiday.
My work says that we should leave these days free in case they want to schedule something. It doesn’t happen always but maybe they will schedule a meeting or some trial lessons on these days but not tell me until the day before.
I think this is unfair. If it’s on my schedule as a non-working day and I’m not getting paid for that day, then I can do whatever I like with the time and they need to give reasonable notice if they want me to work. They seem to think that as it’s usually a working day then they are free to schedule stuff on that day if they want.
I’m curious what other teachers think about this. Does it sound right? Even though I am a part-timer, I am actually pretty busy and on days that I am not working I want to schedule stuff. I don’t want to have to leave non-paid days free just in case.
7 comments
>My work says that we should leave these days free in case they want to schedule something.
No, that’s dumb and you should ignore that
Yah, if it’s part time I’d look for something else if you can. Places I work part time pay me if there is no lesson/no students. Sometime I helped with other work if possible. Personally, I wouldn’t stay there.
Let me get this straight. If there doesn’t happen to be any lessons scheduled on your regular working day, they won’t pay you. Then in replacement for that non-working day, they make you work on what would normally be a non-working day (e.g., a public holiday) but they don’t let you know what, if anything, is on your schedule until the day before. Because of that, you can’t make any plans for non-working days.
That makes no sense.
Your contract must specify your work days and hours, and if they want you to work outside of that, then they negotiate that with you, not demand it.
Since you’ve already agreed to this horror of a contract, your only choices are a) challenge its legality and get the labor board to back you up; or b) quit and find a better job.
Challenging the legality is a pain in the neck and may not get you anywhere because very often these shady companies will ignore the labor board’s suggestion, which only leaves the option of getting a lawyer and going to court – obvs not an easy road. Might not be worth it for a part-time job.
That leaves you with quitting this job.
When you quit, tell them exactly why and suggest they not treat people like shit.
If they want you to keep those days free, they can pay you for them. If not, that doesn’t happen.
F that. If you’re not getting paid for your time then it’s your time to do whatever the F you want. Also, get another job.
The exploitation in this country really is something else.
… so, what happens if you do not respond, or respond that you are unavailable, when called up the day before to come in on one of these days?
They should be compensating you for those days if they want you to keep them open.
You have two options. 1. You fight them on it and possibly cause yourself trouble. 2. Find a different job.