PA Presentation I: You and Your Contract

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PA Presentation I You and Your Contract

• ALT Orientation 2007

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Contractual Issues
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Basics

• Municipal ALTs employed by the town BoE
• Prefectural ALTs employed by the prefectural
  BoE
• Municipal and Prefectural Contracts may differ
• Each Municipal contract may differ
• 35 hours a week Mon-Thurs 8 hours Fri 3 hours
  or Mon-Fri 7 hours
• There are always advantages and disadvantages
• It is not possible to change

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Your Paycheck

• You get 300,000 yen a month. From this
• Pension you pay half (about 21,000y), 90
  refundable (on your first 3 years) after you
  leave
• Health Insurance you pay half (13,000y)
• Unemployment Insurance you pay 2000y
• Income Tax Most JETs do not pay this
• Inhabitants Tax paid by your CO, either in your
  paycheck every month, or all at once in the
  spring ask.
• You are usually left with just over 262,000y

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Nenkyu (Paid Leave)

• Best to think of nenkyu in terms of hours
• JETs receive between 12 and 20 days nenkyu per
  year
• Advisable to ask for nenkyu well in advance
• You can be refused nenkyu if you are expected to
  be teaching.
• You are a teacher. Take nenkyu when there are no
  classes. There are plenty of non-teaching times
  to go on holiday
• Can carry up to 12 days into the next years
  contract. No hours.

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Byokyu (Sick Leave)

• Check YOUR schools position on byokyu
• Get supervisors permission in advance
• Make it clear that you are taking byokyu, not
  nenkyu
• May need to follow up
• Can only be taken by the day
• May require doctors certificate
• Your Japanese colleagues and byokyu

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Daikyu (Substitute Leave) and Zangyou (Overtime)

• If you work officially recorded extra hours, you
  may take substitute leave (Daikyu) on another day
• Must be pre-determined and taken within up to 4
  weeks later
• Is actually quite rare. Usually restricted to
  special days such as school festivals
• There is no overtime (Zangyou)
• Your Japanese colleagues and Zangyou

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Special Leave for Female ALTs

• Unpaid and depends on your contract
• Pre/Post-natal Leave (6/8 weeks respectively)
• Nursing Time (2, 30 minute periods/day)
• Menstrual Leave

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Other Leave

• Bereavement Leave
• Natural Disaster Leave
• Commuter Transport Failure
• Some municipalities may have special summer leave
  for training purposes
• Marital Leave

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Breaking/Breaching Contract

• If you do not fulfill contractual obligations,
  you are in breach of your contract. As with any
  other job, this could result in conflict and
  possible action
• Breaking your contract has many consequences
• In both cases consult your PA as early as possible

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Professionalism, Responsibilities and Settling In
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Starting Now

• You are now in professional employment in
  Japanese schools
• There is a lot invested in you
• You have a real and specific job to do

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Expectations

• Get involved in your school and local community
  as a representative of the JET Programme, the
  international community in Japan, and your home
  country
• Fulfill and honour your contract and make a
  positive and lasting influence on the education
  and lives of your students
• Act as an English learning resource with JTEs
• Team teaching and lesson planning. Assist with
  testing, exchanges, special courses and events,
  English club, etc
• Enjoy relaxing and interacting with students at
  every opportunity
• Be a nice person!

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First and Lasting Impressions

• Dress professionally
• Be Punctual
• Act responsibly
• Show interest in your school and community
• Balance your culture with Japanese culture
• Dont worry about making mistakes

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Settling In and laying Foundations

• Get to know your supervisor, your JTEs and other
  colleagues as people
• Work with your JTEs. Be patient and flexible and
  willing to compromise
• Get involved in school life outside of lessons
• Smile and say Hi to every student you pass in
  the corridor it works!
• Take good care of yourself
• Jump head over heels into learning Japanese
• Stay on top of your professional life, leaving
  time and energy to enjoy your personal life

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QA

• PA Website www.niigatajet.net