I just signed a contract here in China...?

I just signed a work contract here in China. I discussed with the hiring director the details and we agreed upon a lot of things, then the academic director who is in charge of the foreigners got involved.

She refused to accept any of the conditions that we had previously agreed upon even though the Hiring Director is two levels above her. Instead she said, all the other foreigners signed this contract so you should too and was really nasty with me. She told me I can either sign the contract or leave and then she walked out of the room.

I was invited to China by this company, and now that I am here, after 3 interviews and a 2 hour free class this is how they are treating me. I have never been treated so badly by an employer, and I have been promoted at every place I have worked. When I mentioned that I am a model employee she scoffed, like 'You're a foreigner, you can't be a model employee.'

This is my first experience with reverse discrimination and I don't know what to do. The contract they made me sign was entirely one sided. I get paid on a certain date and with their contract they can fire me at anytime without cause.

I don't even really want to work for them now. It's obvious this academic director is jealous of hates foreigners for some reason and I think I might just leave after I get enough for a plane ticket...

The Hiring Director told me I can just work here for 6 months and he'll write me a good reference letter for my next position, what do you all think?

Anonymous2010-08-28T21:06:57Z

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Dont feel frustrated, people are just taking advantages of a poorly run system in the Mainland, no one here respects contracts and agreements. There's literally no contract law in the Mainland. I'ld take the job since you're there already but should continue looking for new jobs right away. Good Luck!

cisco2010-08-29T01:00:01Z

What you can do is talk to the other foreign teachers who are working there. Ask them a little about the place, the work, the treatment, compensations, contract, etc. This will give you some idea at least if the treatment is just of personal reasons / matters. Either way, 6 months seems like a short time, if things don't go that well, you may opt to find a better company now or after 6 months.