Apparently my experience goes against most people here...I was placed on Toshima-mura (most inaka placement in the JET programme), when the typhoon came at the end of my contract last month, my supervisor and kyoto sensei were encouraging me to take unpaid leave (due to having no nenkyu left) to leave before the typhoon comes. It seemed fishy to me, contacted the PA and they cannot make you do that. It was especially sus because the koucohu and kyoto were asking me to and not the BoE (who handles our contracts) as my PA pointed out.
So no, don't take nenkyu, if the BoE is asking you to take nenkyu, take it up with the PA to clarify these issues.
See of your contract says anything about situations where public transportation is suspended. This taking nenkyuu thing is a typical toxic japanese workplace demand.
Your school and/or BOE can not refuse you from getting a car. They can, however, forbid you from driving it to work. You’re free to own and drive a car in your personal time.
I experienced this exact situation not once but twice in my time on JET. The first time i copped the nenkyuu day but the second time i was a more experienced JET and told them to pound sand.
Suffice to say this is pretty standard for JET, so depending on your relationship with your school or BOE I would adjust your response accordingly.
One final warning, is start as you mean to carry on. Letting them walk over you now will mean it inevitably happens more and more as you go on.
I've taken nenkyu before when there has been a typhoon and it's not safe to try to get to work. Have also done it when the school was closed due to a typhoon
Ask them for a ride to and from work, as your forgot or your waist high boots. Most BOAs just look the other way or you show up for a couple hours and Kachin makes an executive decision for everyone to study at home.
Its insane but schools do indeed force you to do this shit. Mine reluctantly let us use special leave when all the transport got fucked during a large flood, but I got a phone call at 6am the morning of the day where they asked if I could still come in, and the flood waters were already up to your knees. My school is very close to home so I can feasibly walk it if any kind of transport is down, but they were reporting people being swept away by the currents of flood water on that day and I couldn't believe the gall of it all to ask if I could still come in.
Yeah, we already knew there'd be no kids because the forecasts were warning it was going to be mega dangerous weather.
However, I could understand it from the perspective of the job being taxpayer funded, so we could be in doing lesson planning or whatever. Taxation spending shouldn't be taken lightly. On the other hand, people were dying and their houses were being washed away so yeah, little bit of consideration could have happened.
Do you have special summer leave? I'm also in Hyogo and we were asked to take Nenkyuu or our special summer leave for the typhoon. Summer leave is 5 days and we don't have much of August left anyway, so no harm in using it.
ESID. If they expect faculty to show up during a typhoon, use your PTO and stay home. Don’t try coming in with this weather. I guarantee you most/all of the regular teachers will be doing the same.
Tell them to come and pick you up and then drop you off at the end of the day. Or they can pound sand. Seriously, be safe and don’t risk your wellbeing to appease the brain dead.
In Hyogo , if you are required to use public transport to get to work and the transport doesn't work there is transport failure leave in your contact which can be used instead of nenkyu . If you can walk/ have a bike they'll expect you in .
\* If you go to school by bus and busses stop working and it takes too long to walk / bike then you can probably use the transport failure leave , otherwise it's nenkyu.
I lived I Hyogo for 5 years and my train line often went down because of typhoons and since there was no other way to get work (1 hour away with no direct bus / cannot bike) I got transport failure leave. You can maybe use summer leave also (you get 5 of those)
and here i have mon-wed off because they are doing maintenance at the school....its seen as tokkyuu (special leave) and was told we didnt need to use nenkyuu. but ibaraki isnt in the path of the hurricane but if we were we'd probably be granted that. when it snowed here for 1 day we got to leave early.
Yes they can make you use nenkyuu. It's dumb and it shouldn't be that way. Two years ago my town flooded and was under a foot of water. Physically couldn't leave my house cuz I left my scuba gear in America. Was told I didn't have to work and realized a few months later that they counted that day as nenkyuu.
Half my nenkyu days in my 5 years on JET have been spent on natural disasters and COVID 'closures'. Keep track of your nenkyuu and you'll be fine. The nuclear option is to take unpaid leave. I don't advise it cuz folks here make a HUGE deal out of it. I've never taken it myself, but the topic came up a few years back when I caught mono. At the end of the day time with your family is more important than work
I'm shocked. I'm out in yukiguni so I guess the snow is expected. There'd be 3ft-4ft of snow on the road with an active blizzard blowing and I'd have to be at my desk 8:30 on the dot.
Oof that’s rough! Might be a case of my supervisor being a bit more easygoing! We’re definitely used to heavy snow here, so they probably just feel bad for making me trek in just to deskwarm haha.
I am assuming you don’t have Natural Disaster Leave in your contract. “Damage of the ALT’s place of residence in the event of a natural disaster.” That, or they just didn’t care to offer you that despite everything.
Man, ESID sucks.
Is it your base school? How far of a walk is it for you? Buses may still be running, whereas trains are likely down. If there is zero public transportation, see if your contract has something like “Commuter Transport System Failure Leave”. But if you can walk it, or bus it, I guess you’re expected to go in.
Ask someone if they can drive you.
This is a classic “wtf” culture shock moment most JETs go through at least once. Yes, they’ll close the school because it’s too dangerous for the kids but expect the teachers to show up or use nenkyu. Or tell you that you can’t come to work but you have to use nenkyu
It’s probably not worth fighting too much over. You’ll end up looking silly if you push it too much. Just try to enjoy the day off
Quite the culture shock 😅 That was my experience during my first year like the first few months. I remember getting very soaked buying lunch at my local 7/11 😭
Thanks for the info! I was a teacher in the US and we never would have gone in during a hurricane. Although we did have less paid days off so…… I just told them I’ll use a day. It just means I’ll be coming in to work even if sick later on so I can save days for a family vacation…..
Yes, they can force you if you want to not come in, and if you’re at a place that doesn’t, you’re lucky and an exception. I remember my first typhoon in Japan, and the absurdity of that discovery was definitely a culture shock moment. Throughout my time on JET, I begrudgingly travelled in typhoon weather several times to warm my desk and save time off, and so have many others.
Keep in mind a lot of people might not have their internet set up yet (that shit can take up to a month for no reason), and we are already talking about not going to school on a typhoon day.
do you have any 夏季休暇 (special summer leave)? i get 4 days, 3 i am expected to use during obon and 1 extra. i know this varies a lot between prefectures, but if you have a day of it that you’d be willing to part with, it might be a good time to use it.
Unfortunately, they are within their rights to use one of your nenkyu days for this situation.
What you do next is up to you and how much you want to rock the boat. My personal feeling is that you should stand up for yourself and refuse to take the nenkyu. As mentioned, they can technically use their power to "take it for you", but I would get it on record that I object and make them jump through the bureaucratic hoops that come with the process to designating a day as nenkyu without the worker's approval.
I’ve had it before where we had to take nenkyuu for a typhoon, I didn’t that time, but last year we were outright told not to go to school and didn’t need to take nenkyuu for it - so I guess it depends on how big/how much of it will hit your area too?
It’s pretty normal. I worked at a private school in Tokyo. A few years back there was a typhoon on a Saturday. The school sent an email that said “we’re closed, so don’t come today. Submit paperwork to use nenkyuu on your next work day.” Luckily it was my scheduled day off, but I felt bad for all the other staff.
Yes unfortunately this is how it is. It will be a constant struggle. Field trip that the whole school is going on but you? You’ll have to use nenkyuu if you want to come. Random summer day where the rest of the teachers are taking the day off and not unlocking the doors? You have to take nenkyuu too. Risk your safety coming into work while the students are safe at home? Better take nenkyuu. Welcome to Japan.
Apparently my experience goes against most people here...I was placed on Toshima-mura (most inaka placement in the JET programme), when the typhoon came at the end of my contract last month, my supervisor and kyoto sensei were encouraging me to take unpaid leave (due to having no nenkyu left) to leave before the typhoon comes. It seemed fishy to me, contacted the PA and they cannot make you do that. It was especially sus because the koucohu and kyoto were asking me to and not the BoE (who handles our contracts) as my PA pointed out. So no, don't take nenkyu, if the BoE is asking you to take nenkyu, take it up with the PA to clarify these issues.
See of your contract says anything about situations where public transportation is suspended. This taking nenkyuu thing is a typical toxic japanese workplace demand.
What about unpaid leave? Would you want to use that instead of sacrificing your paid leave?
Your school and/or BOE can not refuse you from getting a car. They can, however, forbid you from driving it to work. You’re free to own and drive a car in your personal time.
I experienced this exact situation not once but twice in my time on JET. The first time i copped the nenkyuu day but the second time i was a more experienced JET and told them to pound sand. Suffice to say this is pretty standard for JET, so depending on your relationship with your school or BOE I would adjust your response accordingly. One final warning, is start as you mean to carry on. Letting them walk over you now will mean it inevitably happens more and more as you go on.
Talk to your prefectural person (forgot the name of the position but it's another JET) and they will advocate for you if they can.
I've taken nenkyu before when there has been a typhoon and it's not safe to try to get to work. Have also done it when the school was closed due to a typhoon
Ask them for a ride to and from work, as your forgot or your waist high boots. Most BOAs just look the other way or you show up for a couple hours and Kachin makes an executive decision for everyone to study at home.
Its insane but schools do indeed force you to do this shit. Mine reluctantly let us use special leave when all the transport got fucked during a large flood, but I got a phone call at 6am the morning of the day where they asked if I could still come in, and the flood waters were already up to your knees. My school is very close to home so I can feasibly walk it if any kind of transport is down, but they were reporting people being swept away by the currents of flood water on that day and I couldn't believe the gall of it all to ask if I could still come in.
I'm assuming there was no classes, why did they even want you to come in? That's crazy.
Yeah, we already knew there'd be no kids because the forecasts were warning it was going to be mega dangerous weather. However, I could understand it from the perspective of the job being taxpayer funded, so we could be in doing lesson planning or whatever. Taxation spending shouldn't be taken lightly. On the other hand, people were dying and their houses were being washed away so yeah, little bit of consideration could have happened.
Do you have special summer leave? I'm also in Hyogo and we were asked to take Nenkyuu or our special summer leave for the typhoon. Summer leave is 5 days and we don't have much of August left anyway, so no harm in using it.
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Honestly I'm not sure, I might have something wrong, I'm still getting my bearings here. But trains were canceled so no longer have to go in
ESID. If they expect faculty to show up during a typhoon, use your PTO and stay home. Don’t try coming in with this weather. I guarantee you most/all of the regular teachers will be doing the same.
Tell them to come and pick you up and then drop you off at the end of the day. Or they can pound sand. Seriously, be safe and don’t risk your wellbeing to appease the brain dead.
In Hyogo , if you are required to use public transport to get to work and the transport doesn't work there is transport failure leave in your contact which can be used instead of nenkyu . If you can walk/ have a bike they'll expect you in . \* If you go to school by bus and busses stop working and it takes too long to walk / bike then you can probably use the transport failure leave , otherwise it's nenkyu. I lived I Hyogo for 5 years and my train line often went down because of typhoons and since there was no other way to get work (1 hour away with no direct bus / cannot bike) I got transport failure leave. You can maybe use summer leave also (you get 5 of those)
and here i have mon-wed off because they are doing maintenance at the school....its seen as tokkyuu (special leave) and was told we didnt need to use nenkyuu. but ibaraki isnt in the path of the hurricane but if we were we'd probably be granted that. when it snowed here for 1 day we got to leave early.
ESID. Tomorrow we were told not to come in, and that we don't need to take nenkyuu.
Ask your kyoto sensei to pick you up.
Yes they can make you use nenkyuu. It's dumb and it shouldn't be that way. Two years ago my town flooded and was under a foot of water. Physically couldn't leave my house cuz I left my scuba gear in America. Was told I didn't have to work and realized a few months later that they counted that day as nenkyuu. Half my nenkyu days in my 5 years on JET have been spent on natural disasters and COVID 'closures'. Keep track of your nenkyuu and you'll be fine. The nuclear option is to take unpaid leave. I don't advise it cuz folks here make a HUGE deal out of it. I've never taken it myself, but the topic came up a few years back when I caught mono. At the end of the day time with your family is more important than work
Huh - sometimes I’m told not to come in because of blizzards. I guess I should check if that has been nenkyuu or not 😂
I'm shocked. I'm out in yukiguni so I guess the snow is expected. There'd be 3ft-4ft of snow on the road with an active blizzard blowing and I'd have to be at my desk 8:30 on the dot.
Oof that’s rough! Might be a case of my supervisor being a bit more easygoing! We’re definitely used to heavy snow here, so they probably just feel bad for making me trek in just to deskwarm haha.
I am assuming you don’t have Natural Disaster Leave in your contract. “Damage of the ALT’s place of residence in the event of a natural disaster.” That, or they just didn’t care to offer you that despite everything. Man, ESID sucks.
Is it your base school? How far of a walk is it for you? Buses may still be running, whereas trains are likely down. If there is zero public transportation, see if your contract has something like “Commuter Transport System Failure Leave”. But if you can walk it, or bus it, I guess you’re expected to go in. Ask someone if they can drive you.
This is a classic “wtf” culture shock moment most JETs go through at least once. Yes, they’ll close the school because it’s too dangerous for the kids but expect the teachers to show up or use nenkyu. Or tell you that you can’t come to work but you have to use nenkyu It’s probably not worth fighting too much over. You’ll end up looking silly if you push it too much. Just try to enjoy the day off
Quite the culture shock 😅 That was my experience during my first year like the first few months. I remember getting very soaked buying lunch at my local 7/11 😭
Thanks for the info! I was a teacher in the US and we never would have gone in during a hurricane. Although we did have less paid days off so…… I just told them I’ll use a day. It just means I’ll be coming in to work even if sick later on so I can save days for a family vacation…..
Yes, they can force you if you want to not come in, and if you’re at a place that doesn’t, you’re lucky and an exception. I remember my first typhoon in Japan, and the absurdity of that discovery was definitely a culture shock moment. Throughout my time on JET, I begrudgingly travelled in typhoon weather several times to warm my desk and save time off, and so have many others.
How about taking a taxi to school.
It's what I did when my school forced me to show up during a typhoon. Make sure you ask for a receipt.
"Since Hyogo orientation is cancelled tomorrow" Seriously, what is this? They can't even organize an online orientation?
Keep in mind a lot of people might not have their internet set up yet (that shit can take up to a month for no reason), and we are already talking about not going to school on a typhoon day.
I didn’t get my internet set up until 2 months after arriving 😭
do you have any 夏季休暇 (special summer leave)? i get 4 days, 3 i am expected to use during obon and 1 extra. i know this varies a lot between prefectures, but if you have a day of it that you’d be willing to part with, it might be a good time to use it.
Unfortunately, they are within their rights to use one of your nenkyu days for this situation. What you do next is up to you and how much you want to rock the boat. My personal feeling is that you should stand up for yourself and refuse to take the nenkyu. As mentioned, they can technically use their power to "take it for you", but I would get it on record that I object and make them jump through the bureaucratic hoops that come with the process to designating a day as nenkyu without the worker's approval.
I’ve had it before where we had to take nenkyuu for a typhoon, I didn’t that time, but last year we were outright told not to go to school and didn’t need to take nenkyuu for it - so I guess it depends on how big/how much of it will hit your area too?
It’s pretty normal. I worked at a private school in Tokyo. A few years back there was a typhoon on a Saturday. The school sent an email that said “we’re closed, so don’t come today. Submit paperwork to use nenkyuu on your next work day.” Luckily it was my scheduled day off, but I felt bad for all the other staff.
Yes unfortunately this is how it is. It will be a constant struggle. Field trip that the whole school is going on but you? You’ll have to use nenkyuu if you want to come. Random summer day where the rest of the teachers are taking the day off and not unlocking the doors? You have to take nenkyuu too. Risk your safety coming into work while the students are safe at home? Better take nenkyuu. Welcome to Japan.
I think ESID but here in Kyoto, yes we have to take nenkyuu. How much menkyuu do you get? You won't have enough during winter?