Overview While the JET Programme does cover a lot, if not most, of the costs in regards to moving and settling in Japan there are some things you will have to be responsible for. Keep in mind this post is for Hyogo JETs so if you are assigned to another prefecture it might be a […]
Although JET participants are members of the JET Programme, each JET is actually employed by a local contracting organization and not by CLAIR or the JET Programme. CLAIR and JET are the organizations who set up the framework to introduce us to our bosses. And since different JETs have different bosses, they often get different […]
At the same time as the Recontracting Decision rolls around for us, our schools are also asked if they want to keep us. What will you be evaluated on? Though different schools do things differently, most likely your principal will fill out a report that looks something like this: Work Details (Attendance) 1. Tardiness: Never […]
Paid leave, or nenkyu, is a precious commodity for most JETs, and therefore many questions/problems seem to revolve around it. Read the following points so that you can avoid some common problems. Nenkyu will vary Yearly paid leave for local government employees is determined by local regulations, and because we have different contracting organizations, the […]
Types Of Special Leave Bereavement Leave Marital Leave Natural Disasters Pre/Post-natal Leave Maternity Leave Menstrual Leave Leave to care for an ill child Commuter Transportation Failure Special Leave includes all forms of leave other than your paid leave. The details will vary from contract to contract, so this list is just for reference. These types […]
Aside from the specific cases provided for in your contract, unpaid leave technically does not exist, and your contracting organization is not able to grant it. Every now and then a JET will use up all of their paid leave, and then when an emergency comes up they are unable to take any more leave. […]
CLAIR (who set the guidelines for contracting organizations like your BOE) has no official policy on Study Leave. AJET is pushing them to establish guidelines, rules such as “JETs should be allowed to apply for study leave under these conditions…” but nothing has been made yet. This means that it is completely up to your […]
In autumn, your school/BOE should give you a form with the title “JET Programme Re-contracting Procedures.” This is the form that you use to indicate if you want to recontract, apply for a transfer, or apply for a type-change. If you want to apply for a transfer and you haven’t received this form, talk to […]
In Japan, personal appearance is often taken as a reflection of one’s attitude toward work. Dressing professionally will go a long way toward being taken seriously by your Japanese colleagues. You don’t have to erase any signs of personal style or imitate the way your Japanese coworkers dress, but try observing your work environment for […]
In times of serious stress it can be good to contact a professional counselor or the peer support line. Sometimes isolation, physical or linguistic, can make simple problems very stressful, and sometimes very disheartening. Rather than letting problems get on top of you, have a look at these options and find the right one for […]