Giving Notice

[BruceMangosteen]

The discussion is off topic. And I don't know why you keep bringing it back to March. Apologies if I was not clear in numerous posts (although I think I was), but I will make one more attempt here.

My contract expires at the end of March. I want to finish a month early, at the end of February. My question is if I (per my contract) give my school twenty days notice of my intention to leave at the end of February, can I trust them to pay me for February? I am not concerned with March's wages since I would not be working and thus would not deserve to receive them.

Anyway, I think I know what I'm gonna do, but I won't decided until Monday. In the meantime, if anyone has experience with ending a contract early on good (or bad) terms, please let me know.

No, it's not that you weren't clear. It just made no sense to us with experience in the matter, the place, the situation you describe, and the rest of it all. You would be "out of your mind" to give a notice next week that you were forgoing your March salary. They would be "fools" not to accept said notice with shocking high fives at saving the March money. There is nothing to really do in March, it's a paid vacation, and you are asking the general public should you just forgo your vacation wages earned? I already suggested just be kind and gentle and decline any March duties assigned. Worse case, which you don't seem to care about, is they don't pay you for March. I'd think personally to repeat, they would pay March as contractually obligated to and said money comes from Bangkok anyhow! We were just trying to apply common sense to a situation you posed. Go ahead, we don't care if you give away money. It won't impact the rest of the schools in Thailand.

[eldragon]

The discussion is off topic. And I don't know why you keep bringing it back to March. Apologies if I was not clear in numerous posts (although I think I was), but I will make one more attempt here.

My contract expires at the end of March. I want to finish a month early, at the end of February. My question is if I (per my contract) give my school twenty days notice of my intention to leave at the end of February, can I trust them to pay me for February? I am not concerned with March's wages since I would not be working and thus would not deserve to receive them.

Anyway, I think I know what I'm gonna do, but I won't decided until Monday. In the meantime, if anyone has experience with ending a contract early on good (or bad) terms, please let me know.

No, it's not that you weren't clear. It just made no sense to us with experience in the matter, the place, the situation you describe, and the rest of it all. You would be "out of your mind" to give a notice next week that you were forgoing your March salary. They would be "fools" not to accept said notice with shocking high fives at saving the March money. There is nothing to really do in March, it's a paid vacation, and you are asking the general public should you just forgo your vacation wages earned? I already suggested just be kind and gentle and decline any March duties assigned. Worse case, which you don't seem to care about, is they don't pay you for March. I'd think personally to repeat, they would pay March as contractually obligated to and said money comes from Bangkok anyhow! We were just trying to apply common sense to a situation you posed. Go ahead, we don't care if you give away money. It won't impact the rest of the schools in Thailand.

My concern is that they won't pay me for February, even if I give proper notice. They'll feel bitter that I didn't finish the contract or something and withhold my last check. You know how the old teachers can be.

March is not holiday month at this school. The teachers that are signed on for next year get two weeks in April, but I'd be expected to show up every day in March, even though there's really nothing to do. I want to start this other job (in a different field, btw) in March so they don't give it to someone else.

Btw, I did discuss this casually with my head and suggested I'd be saving the department money in payroll. She seemed to suggest it didn't matter and would likely end up in someone's pocket. Lol.

[Scott]

I would suggest giving your notice. People pulling runners is the reason that so many people have to pay for the sins of the few.

In general, I believe you should give 30 days notice, I would tend to do that just to be on the safe side. If you do not get paid, head down to your local Ministry of Labor office and a few phone calls should sort things out. If you worked, you should be paid. A few schools have learned some very hard lessons about not paying people for time actually worked.

Be sure and be pleasant to them at the school and don't give them any reason to mess about with you.

Best of luck.

[Mencken]

After your grades are in you're done. The school should be happy you are not sticking around in Mar if you've no interest in renewing. If you are in part leaving bcz they are not offering, they will be overjoyed.

Having stated that, there is no telling what small minds get up to.

In the end, you have a better gig, you are going so just give notice.

Good luck in your new job

[puffy]

If you just don't give 20 days notice and then say you are sick or are busy you are not breaking your contract,

as your contract expires the end of March anyway.

There is no way you should give 20 days notice just before your contract is up you can only lose.

It will not matter to the school either if there isn't much as you say going on in March.

You just don't renew the contract at the end of March.

[BruceMangosteen]

If you just don't give 20 days notice and then say you are sick or are busy you are not breaking your contract,

as your contract expires the end of March anyway.

There is no way you should give 20 days notice just before your contract is up you can only lose.

It will not matter to the school either if there isn't much as you say going on in March.

You just don't renew the contract at the end of March.

I've stated as much several times and the member keeps deflecting the obvious. No sane person would forgo their earned vacation wages(March) for the sake of saving face in Thailand. Just don't show up in March and you will most likely be paid. This is business, not face rituals. There must be something we aren't being told, which is fine.

[Mencken]

He wants to leave for another job. Not showing up to me is an issue and they may arguably not pay him for March if that's what he also wants. This is not honest and he might not get paid and in labor court if the school can somehow show concurrent contract he might be in the shit.

But this is about getting paid for Feb. That's what was asked. I say, doesn't matter, in the end you are going so, go.

Give notice, last day Feb 29 and if you don't get paid, hash it out in court.

[eldragon]

If you just don't give 20 days notice and then say you are sick or are busy you are not breaking your contract,

as your contract expires the end of March anyway.

There is no way you should give 20 days notice just before your contract is up you can only lose.

It will not matter to the school either if there isn't much as you say going on in March.

You just don't renew the contract at the end of March.

I've stated as much several times and the member keeps deflecting the obvious. No sane person would forgo their earned vacation wages(March) for the sake of saving face in Thailand. Just don't show up in March and you will most likely be paid. This is business, not face rituals. There must be something we aren't being told, which is fine.

And Ive at least once clarified March is not a holiday month at this school. That would be April. March is the month everyone shows up in the morning and disappears at or shortly after lunch.

As for the possibility that I might get paid if I dont show up for the final month of the contract, Im not interested in getting money I didnt earn. And theres always the chance they will cancel my work permit/extension of stay, costing me up to 20K and a temporary ban from Thailand.

[bangmai]

Get paid for Feb...then tell them you need to leave, and don't expect to be paid for March...chances are you will be doing them a big favor...based on common accounting methods used, it would be a great chance for an administrator to pocket your last check, that you aren't worried about. Sounds like a win-win situation to me. And just make sure they aren't going to stiff you on vis extension/WP. Maybe even state that you might be willing to come back in the future (even if it would be on the coldest day in Hell), but now you have some pressing personal issues, Of course, that would be believable, because they know the farang always has personal problems with drinking or his prostitute wife.

[BruceMangosteen]

And Ive at least once clarified March is not a holiday month at this school. That would be April. March is the month everyone shows up in the morning and disappears at or shortly after lunch.

As for the possibility that I might get paid if I dont show up for the final month of the contract, Im not interested in getting money I didnt earn. And theres always the chance they will cancel my work permit/extension of stay, costing me up to 20K and a temporary ban from Thailand.

Each and every school says as much about March. This only applies to the Thai staff. The foreigners are free to go about their business, be it another job or getting their new VISA and Work Permit's in order. Don't be fooled, if you show up and sign in and do nothing for even half a day in March after you have completed your duties, the only one which matters is your grade submission, you are just thought of as another idiot farang. If you are really worried about it, just say you are sick and only after someone calls you about the absences. You did earn the money as I posted earlier. You have earned March's wages as soon as you turn in your grades(in March I assume as well). End of story.

[bigt3116]

And Ive at least once clarified March is not a holiday month at this school. That would be April. March is the month everyone shows up in the morning and disappears at or shortly after lunch.

As for the possibility that I might get paid if I dont show up for the final month of the contract, Im not interested in getting money I didnt earn. And theres always the chance they will cancel my work permit/extension of stay, costing me up to 20K and a temporary ban from Thailand.

Each and every school says as much about March. This only applies to the Thai staff. The foreigners are free to go about their business, be it another job or getting their new VISA and Work Permit's in order. Don't be fooled, if you show up and sign in and do nothing for even half a day in March after you have completed your duties, the only one which matters is your grade submission, you are just thought of as another idiot farang. If you are really worried about it, just say you are sick and only after someone calls you about the absences. You did earn the money as I posted earlier. You have earned March's wages as soon as you turn in your grades(in March I assume as well). End of story.

Did you mean Western caucasian, or did you mean foreigner ?

[BruceMangosteen]

Bruce posted...

" you are just thought of as another idiot farang."

-The inquiry:

Did you mean Western caucasian, or did you mean foreigner ?

The quote function got mixed up, but I get your question and the context.

You make a valid point. It is generally and usually if not always, the "Western" white males who are considered idiot farangs. The Filipino's don't ever question things like coming in when there aren't any classes i.e. in March, etc.. They feel lucky, and are, to have a "job" paying triple upwards what they can earn in the Philippines and are regarded as "Philippine Hero's" when send money back. As for other races and nationalities I don't have much of an informed and experienced laden opinion.

[bigt3116]

Bruce posted...

" you are just thought of as another idiot farang."

-The inquiry:

Did you mean Western caucasian, or did you mean foreigner ?

The quote function got mixed up, but I get your question and the context.

You make a valid point. It is generally and usually if not always, the "Western" white males who are considered idiot farangs. The Filipino's don't ever question things like coming in when there aren't any classes i.e. in March, etc.. They feel lucky, and are, to have a "job" paying triple upwards what they can earn in the Philippines and are regarded as "Philippine Hero's" when send money back. As for other races and nationalities I don't have much of an informed and experienced laden opinion.

Oops, looks like you missed the point totally. "Farang" means Western caucasian, you can not use it to mean anything or anyone else.