Injured Friend

[rrivers]

I am writing this on behalf of a friend of mine. she took a teaching job at a government high school outside of udon thani they offered a salary (not much) a house at the school and accident insurance.

she is the schools first non-thai english teacher and was given carte blanche to run her department (english conversation) any way she chooses. she loves the job and most of all the kids and feedback regarding her teaching ability has been very positive.

From day 1 she complained about the stairs at her house located at the school, seems the stairs are nothing more than rotting plywood, each time she was assured they would fix or replace the stairs but nothing happened, and about 4 months ago when she was going downstairs to make coffee one of the stairs caved in and she fell to the floor breaking her right ankle and her nose. this was at 5 am on the morning she limped out of the house and found a security officer who took her to a local hospital. They contacted one of the Thai English teachers who drove her to Udon Thani as the type of break was very complacted. The hospital in Udon thani fixed her ankle and nose, and she was assured by the thai-english teacher it was covered due to her accident insurance, turns out that was a semi-lie only 6 thousand was covered the rest came out of my friends pocket about 25,000bhat.

The school did give her some time off and she went to Bangkok to stay with friends, when she returned her tv and dvd player were stolen and the school will not admit the possibillity of student breaking into the house.

The director of the school told the employment agency that she was drunk when she fell and the school has a problem with her drinking.....my friend does not drink The director was doing to this to shift blame and save face.

also she missed a school function in Korat due to her leg so she went to Udon thani to meet me...and she came down with dungue fever

so if only the school did what it was told and replaced/fixed the stairs.

1 no broken ankle or nose

2 still would have her tv and dvd

3. reputation in tact as the other teachers are aware of the directors remarks

4. no dengue fever

the school will not pay for her hospital stay nor will they pay for the stolen items, and she understands this

however i am writing this as a warning if you want something done be deligent and read all the small print

A.G

[Tropicalevo]

Sorry for your friend. I hope that she recovers soon.

For others to consider. If there is a dangerous situation as in these stairs you could always get them repaired yourself and present the bill to the school.

Even if they did not pay it, the few hundred baht would have been better than the story above and given her peace of mind straight away.

[zaphodbeeblebrox]

For others to consider. If there is a dangerous situation as in these stairs you could always get them repaired yourself and present the bill to the school.

Or quit and find a new job, which is what I did when the school wouldn't repair a dangerous accommodation problem. Lots of government school teaching jobs out there.

Edited October 9, 2010 by zaphodbeeblebrox

[siampolee]

Perhaps it would be worth taking the matter up with the employment agency,

Personally I do not hold out much hope , however if all paperwork was in order, a trip to a lawyer and the possibility of a court action may well bring forth some recompense, Certainly worth a try.

Edited October 12, 2010 by siampolee

[canuck1941]

I hate to say this but your friend is going to end up sadder but wiser. And fine print in contracts is ignored as is the other print. Going after the school for breach of contract is entering another world of corrupt lawyers and so on. Money up front for them. In a similar situation, but in China, I hired two lawyers, one to watch the other, and finally realized the whole system was rigged against the plaintiff. A case of wrongful dismissal would take nine months to come to trial. So I put it down to experience, without regret, and that's what your friend may have to do. I did write a letter to my ambassador telling how our Chinese hosts treat teachers just so they know when they face their opposite numbers. I felt good to do that, and I did get an acknowldgment. Chook dee.

[Scott]

Legal action may be a possibility, but it might not be worth the hassle. If she is hired through an agency, this further complicates who exactly her employer is and what she is entitled to.

Since she is a female, she should have few problems in finding other work. Female farang teachers are in demand.

If I were going to take any legal action, I would be tempted to sue them for defamation. In a defamation case, the allegation doesn't even have to be false, just injurious. Keep in mind, I would do it out of spite.

Best of luck to you and your friend.

[Xangsamhua]

If I were going to take any legal action, I would be tempted to sue them for defamation. In a defamation case, the allegation doesn't even have to be false, just injurious. Keep in mind, I would do it out of spite.

Excellent advice! Where's the green button when you want it?