The downside of teaching in Japan...

[Sangetsu]

Originally Posted by Tsuwabuki

Many dispatch companies, and I do speak from experience here, do think they can get away with a number of things no company I ever worked for in America thought they could get away with. However, I am an American citizen, and I do know of awful practices in Texas that several companies use against foreign workers. That does indeed reflect badly on Texas, and as a Texan I am ashamed it does so. So, I would indeed say the misbehavior by American companies reflect badly on America as a whole.

Do you mean foreign workers or illegal aliens from Mexico? As far as I know, all American citizens are protected from discrimination from employers, and lawyers fall all over themselves to sign up lawsuits for employer discrimination. Illegal aliens on the other hand have little voice or choice when it comes to working conditions, but that's the risk they run.

I've read about Interac article last week, it was posted a few places before Debito finally got ahold of it. It's a shame that such a thing was able to happen, but as Nyorin said, it sounds like a lot of this was due to miscommunication on one side, and misunderstanding on the other. That doesn't excuse Interac's actions, and I'm sure they are regretting all that occurred.

No doubt the powers-that-be at Interac have properly reamed the parties mentioned in the story, as the story has made it's way through the teaching community, boards of education, the various unions, and elsewhere. I hope the teacher involved has contacted a lawyer, no doubt Debito knows a few good ones.

[Tsuwabuki]

I mean legal workers. Not citizens, but rather guest workers/green card holders. Our equivalents in America. "Legal resident" I suppose.

[MMM]

Originally Posted by Tsuwabuki

If it is a reflection Texas, it is a reflection on America. Unless we've gone back to the Republic now. As a Texan, I am certainly not opposed to that, but I believe my passport still says United States of America and not Republic of Texas. As long as that is the case, Texan companies ARE American companies, and therefore their awful practices (and it certainly isn't all Texas companies, but even a few is bad enough) do reflect badly on America as a whole.

My point is, I wouldn't tell someone "be careful about working for an American company" because of what some companies in Texas did. I would say "Be careful about working for these Texas companies."

I agree with you that human rights violations anywhere in the US is a national concern, but the actions of a few bad apples do not necessarily mean the entire tree is corrupt.

[SaintKat]

That was a really sad read. I hope the guy found a better employer in the end.

[TalnSG]

Originally Posted by SephirothVVC

how does this make any sense?!!

"He told me that if I have any more medical emergencies to call Interac 1 week before the emergency to let them know in advance."

No sense at all. But then I work for an employer that requires 48 hours (work days, not weekends) notice before I can call in and use my sick time. I am still trying to figure out how to know on Friday that I am goingto get food poisoning on Tuesday! We'll see what the labor board says when the first of us gets fired over it.

[Compaqmac321]

i found myself saying wow at each and every sentence i read
why was that lady getting so angry. it couldnt have been me, what do you mean u cant leave the room untill u sign the papers, how are u going to stop me? i have to commend him on keeping his cool, and not exploding cus he had a lot on his plate already, not to mention that rude lady pretty much in his face for nothing....that was pretty despicable to say the least.......how can u contact some1 a week b4 an emergency, did they take him for a fool or something, thats pretty stupid seeing as tho no1 on the planet can see the future..he has a ton of proof too. i wonder what will happen, thats a pretty bad experience to have

[princessmarisa]

I was considering applying for an Interac position, if I do not get accepted into JET this year. I will research some more inlight of this. However there are bad stories about all companies, and probably hundreds (thousands?) of happy workers with no problems, and problems like this being brought to the publics attention should at least have som epositive effect on the company, hopefully clean things up with the involved employees to stop such further embarassments occuring.
I do not think this reflects fully on working in Japan, or even for Interac, it is just one story. Just as one bad story for any company in any country does not reflect much on anything but that one case.
However if it discourages lots of people from applying, guess it improves my chances?
I would be interested in any follow up or retaliation Interac release regarding the story, especially the trying to get a force resignation signature, the rest is just very poor understanding and empathy for an emotional situation, that part is pure illegal (surely!) !

[Sangetsu]

Interac probably has the best reputation of any of the ALT dispatch companies. JET is better, of course (particularly the pay), but Interac offers more positions, and potential teachers have a little more say in where they will be assigned.

[noodle]

Gosh, that's such a sad story... but I agree, I wouldn't read this story and think "uh oh, Japan isn't a nice place to work".

... so sad!