Collecting Holiday Pay, But Not Going Back To School

[Frampleton]

So I was given a job at a government school and the school was not what I thought it would be. Certain things about it drive me crazy and I really think there are better deals out there. I am sticking it out till the end of the term but I don't have any intention of coming back. However, I still want to get my holiday pay. We were promised 50% salary during the month of October- about 20k, and I think i could really use it. I signed a contract with some sketchy agency but they took forever to get my Non B in order. So I just said forget it, and I'm going with my own visa. I'm not on their work permit or anything.

Is there any penalty or negative repercussions for not showing up for school come next term? I would like to give them a month's notice but I don't think they'd give me that holiday pay. I feel like it's owed to me, but at the same time, I think it's given under the expectation that you will be returning to the school again. What do you think could happen if I just kept quiet, got the money and didn't go back?

[mccw]

You could be reported and in big trouble for working illegally, take more bribes to get off than the 20k you'd gain. Also could be fraud / theft if you had a contract for a year and the pay was conditional on completing the contract.

Also; how about your work history on CV ? You can't put them as a reference or experience.

Further; where is your sense of responsibility? Schools have children who need teaching, those children will be with a teacher for time it takes to find a new teacher. This is morally not a good thing to do. You should give notice at least, but really seeing out the contract / year would be best. Then you can put it on your CV , show you are reliable and experienced to next employer and hopefully gain a better job next time. Only another term is not very long in the scheme of things/ across a life time or path of career building.

Doing the right thing brings around the better results. Be patient.

[FritsSikkink]

Better start reading the contract you signed. Next time read it before you sign.

[mccw]

I missed a word.

"Left with a teacher"

Meant to be saying that your actions would mean the kids left without! a teacher while the school tries to find a replacement.

[Frampleton]

I think if you understood my school better you'd understand.

My classes are already supposed to be doubled up with a Thai co-teacher, but they never come. They're always "busy" but when I go back, I just see them chatting and eating in the office. If i left it would mean they would actually have to do their job.

The job kind of drives me crazy because i was told it was a Mattayom school with an intensive program, which to me meant, I would actually be teaching English. Unfortunately it's a zoo. And the intensive thing actually makes it worse because now the students are paying customers who can't be punished rather than students learning at an intensive level. It is 50 kids in a class, where some childern still can't count to 20 in English or write their own name. When I walk in I routinely see people screaming yelling, kicking balls around the classroom. I can't teach, it's practically impossible because I have no means of discipline. I was told that I wouldn't have to worry about it because I would be doubled up with a Thai teacher but, as I said, they never show up. I have expressed my frustrations as politely and clearly as I could, but the staff just seems to either not understand or not care. Perhaps a bit of both.

Even still, I wouldn't want to dump my schedule on someone, and I would like to give them a months notice, but that means that the 20k would probably be withheld.But if that money wasn't going to me, I'm not sure who it would even go to.

One of the reasons I feel ok with potentially <deleted> over the school is the school won't tell staff if they're being left on until the last moments of the term. A friend of mine wanted to go back to Australia and needed to know what the status of his job would be come next term so he could straighten out his finances and plan for a new visa if he needed to. He thinks he should be on, but still he is worried and doesn't know for sure. So how can this be a one way street? They can fire us without any hesitation and have our visa's yanked out from under us but we can't leave them?

Anyway without trying to spill out my life story I would like people to just explain to me what usually happens with holiday pay, if you get paid for the holiday but don't go back, would that make them extra furious? Make them mad enough to come after you? My students will be fine, however my co-teachers might actually have to do their job,so sad.