lost my job

[marquis de jonny]

so i lost my job.

i've been working as an english teacher for about six years now. when the missus and i moved to tokyo about a year ago, i got a job at what seemed like a decent school doing another regular teaching job (thank God only adults!). 7 months in, our lying, cheating, philandering (yup, trying to screw every (and i mean EVERY) student in a skirt) manager was fired and i was given the job. to manage the school. not the other stuff.

this was a great step for me, as i've never really seen myself as a career english teacher. i enjoyed teaching because i felt i was able to help people, but doing management work felt a lot better, as i was able to help students in what i felt were deeper ways, and was able to do a lot for staff as well.

ever since i got the management job there was a lot of talk about our school being sold. it was obvious the place was losing money, being such a large premesis in one of the most expensive areas in tokyo (and with only 300 students), but we were told there were at least 2 definite buyers.

but, a couple of days ago, we were told the school was closing and that we were all out of a job. fair enough, can't be helped. but then comes the settlement...

it turns out the company is not insolvent and will be staying in business, they are just closing this centre, and they have given staff a settlement titled "involuntary resignation agreement". this basically means we have decided to quit the company and have waived our rights to any form of redundancy settlement. it also means any staff member who signs this "agreement" would have to wait 3 months for any kind of government unemployment payments.

as soon as i read this paper i emailed all staff telling them not to sign. in the meantime i've been in touch with the labor department, general union, and a recently elected minister who is a lawyer and also studied at our school a couple of years ago to get some solid advice.

as bad as staff being possibly ripped off is, i also have very serious doubts as to whether the students will be refunded the monies they have been promised. too much of this stuff looks dodgy, but dammit all i'm not going to sit around and watch good people being screwed.

consider this a venting thread, and my apologies for it. but damn it all, i will not sit by and watch extremely rich bastards screw over decent, regular folk (students and employees) if there's anything i can do about it.

i'm planning on fighting this to the end, so let's see how it all pans out.

[SixStringSlinger]

I'm really sorry all this is happening. Good luck to you, and bless you for trying to help. Just make sure you keep a cool head.

[Scotland]

That's real bad news, nobody should get off with treating people like that. I wish you all the very best of luck and success with your fight, keep us informed of the forthcoming events.

[mistermullens]

Good for you. Sorry about the situation, but I commend you for fighting for the staff and students.

[JohnnyCrash]

I lost my job and was not paid for several months in the end. I was awarded a settlement, but collecting it is impossible given the current laws in my area.

Keep hanging on, but also know when to cut your losses and move on.

As long as you've got a Telecaster and are physically able to obtain work (health) things will be OK.

[dolfan19]

That sucks like an Electrolux! Give 'em h-e-double hockey sticks Jonny!

[Hockey Rocker]

Bummer Jonny. I'm sorry that you lost your job. I just don't get what the advantage to signing the involuntary resignation agreement is. How could the business owners possibly persuade you to sign it, thereby waiving government support for three months, without offering you some benefit?

[Ray G]

Best of luck to you, stay strong!

[jumpnblues]

I'm truly sorry for what you're going through, but my entirely amateur advice would be to not discuss this any further on this or any other forum without legal consultation. It could come back to haunt you. JMHO, YMMV.

Tom

[CancerLeoCam]

..hang in there man. I wish you well.

[Preacher]

hang in there man!!

Look on the bright side, here in the states two co-workers went to their boss and asked for a raise, so the boss shot them... it could be worse.

[Tim Armstrong]

Jonny, I'm sending maximum mojo to back up your play. Hope it all works out!

Tim

[TelecasterBlooz]

Hang in there Jonny! Show 'em even a Gaijin can fight like a Samurai!

[Rizo]

My ex g/f taught english in Japan... seems like there's a need for those positions so keep at it.

My current g/f is about to lose her job and it's been really tough for her to find another one. I'm pullin for you man... When I was a kid, my dad (sole breadwinner at the time) lost his job at the local coal mine and was out of work for 18 months. It was hard but we made it and I'm sure you will too!

[fuzzferatu]

I was once fired from a job by a crooked boss who then appealed my request for unemployment benefits. I would have starved if the laws in Georgia hadn't protected me. Unfortunately, he learned his lesson and used a loophole for the next poor bastard he fired.

Some folks don't deserve to run businesses.

Stay strong. Good folks prevail in the end and they don't wonder if they're a$$holes.

[Joe-Bob]

Let us know how it all works out.

[ednew]

Originally Posted by marquis de jonny

so i lost my job.




it turns out the company is not insolvent and will be staying in business, they are just closing this centre, and they have given staff a settlement titled "involuntary resignation agreement". this basically means we have decided to quit the company and have waived our rights to any form of redundancy settlement. it also means any staff member who signs this "agreement" would have to wait 3 months for any kind of government unemployment payments.

as soon as i read this paper i emailed all staff telling them not to sign. in the meantime i've been in touch with the labor department, general union, and a recently elected minister who is a lawyer and also studied at our school a couple of years ago to get some solid advice.

Jonny,
I'm an HR director with an extensive background in employment--all of it in the USA and none in Japan.

Suggestion for you: Go find an attorney with significant employment background and no ties to your current employer. Take no further actions until you have received competent counsel.

Good luck to you,
Ed

[fltpkr]

Way to be a stand-up guy! Good luck, and keep us informed.

[marquis de jonny]

dang! didn't expect so many replies! just goes to show that tdpriers are a solid bunch!

but seriously, heartfelt thanks for the advice, support, sympathy, and rallying cries. it really DOES MEAN A LOT.

after a decent amount of legal adivce (and sifting through a translation of the local labor laws) a letter has been drafted of what staff require as far as termination is concerned, and it has been sent to the owner. monday will be an interesting day.

Originally Posted by jumpnblues

I'm truly sorry for what you're going through, but my entirely amateur advice would be to not discuss this any further on this or any other forum without legal consultation. It could come back to haunt you. JMHO, YMMV.

Tom

thanks for the heads up and concern. i'm trying to keep the passion down and just state facts (which are basically pubic knowledge, as a notice of closure, etc. has been posted on the school's website). i believe in japanese law i am within my rights to air my concerns. but really, thanks for the advice. it'll make me think a little more as i post on this issue.

[marquis de jonny]

Originally Posted by ednew

Jonny,
I'm an HR director with an extensive background in employment--all of it in the USA and none in Japan.

Suggestion for you: Go find an attorney with significant employment background and no ties to your current employer. Take no further actions until you have received competent counsel.

Good luck to you,
Ed

ed, thanks. very good advice.

the problem i see is that this is not a japanese company, and this centre (the company's only office in japan... that i know of) is closing it's doors on august 15th. i have received a good amount of similar advice from the dept of labor, the general union, and the foreign workers union as to how to approach this issue. i based my reply to the owner on what i was advised and what i have read in the labor laws. in this situation i would say time is of the essence.

i have contacted 2 lawyers and am waiting on their reply as to the details of how to proceed from this point in time.

thanks again, thanks to you all.

[marquis de jonny]

Originally Posted by JohnnyCrash

As long as you've got a Telecaster and are physically able to obtain work (health) things will be OK.

amen, monsignor crash. amen!