Do I get paid for overtime?
    Yes, if you teach over 80 hours per month.  Driving time, prep time, and required faculty meetings do not count towards overtime. However, we do compensate teachers who drive a long way to classes.

    Remember, there is no set weekly requirement for hours that you must teach.  Although we do target 20 hours a week, teachers usually teach less and during slow periods it can get as low as 12 hours a week.  During busy periods it can get as high as 25 hours a week.  During December for example, when there is a long holiday, it is conceivable that a teacher could work 25 hours a week and not get overtime pay.  (This seldom actually happens, however, because December is usually a slow month.) 

How much do I have to pay for the apartment?
     As of January 2006, the rent varies with the size of the apartment (we have two standards floor plans available, and there is a penthouse which is sometimes open).  The large apartments (bath, kitchen/dining, 3 rooms) cost  90,000 yen/month, but your rent will be 69,500 yen The smaller (bath, kitchen/dining, 2 rooms) apartments costs 77,000, but your rent will be 59,500.  We cover all key money and deposits (which if you've been in Japan before, you know can be excessive.)  We are able to subsidize the apartments and the deposits because we rent many in the same building.  The apartments are all in one building in a great location and are all spacious and clean.

Tell me more about the health insurance.
    All teachers are required to join the Global HealthCare Ultimate Care health and travel insurance policy, or prove they are already covered by an equivalent health insurance plan. The cost for this plan varies according to age and the dollar yen exchange rate. Four Seasons pays half your premium and half your deductible.  Currently, if you are under 29 this comes to about 3,000 yen/month, and if you are over 29 about 4,500 yen/month, that will be deducted from your salary. You can review the plan benefits here.

What holidays/vacation time do I receive?
    1. Winter vacation (usually called Shogatsu) is usually from 12/23 until January 1/5 (the exact dates vary but it's about two weeks)
    2. Summer vacation (usually called "Obon) is about ten calander days in the middle of August, (exacts dates vary but it's during the middle two weeks in August)
    3. Spring vacation (usually called "Golden Week") is about a week at the end of April and the first week of May.  It is during this time that Hamamatsu hosts it's very amazing, very fun, world-famous kite festival.  Many of our teachers have been participants and have considered it a highlight of their year.
    4.  All Japanese national holidays

    Our basic policy with regard to additional time off is that we don't allow it. Teachers are expected to take vacations within the school holidays and not to attempt to rearrange classes for their own convenience.

    We make exceptions for immediate family members only. That is, for funerals, severe illnesses, weddings and graduations of immediate family members, we will try to arrange a couple extra days off, but even then, please remember that we have to ask all the other teachers to cover the classes of the teacher who leaves.  It can upset the balance of the entire school.

    If you are expecting to need to attend a wedding in the near future, or have a family member who is ill, or otherwise feel you may need some extra time during your stay, please advise up front.  We will do our best to accommodate events, but we need as much warning as possible.

Will you sponsor my visa?  Is it difficult to get a visa?
     Yes.  It is not very difficult as long as all the paperwork is in order.  Japanese immigration is VERY particular about getting it all just right.  We'll walk you through the process if you're hired.

Will you sponsor my family?
     Yes.  Again, as long as all the paperwork is in order, this is usually not a difficult thing.

Will you pay for my air fare to Japan?  Do you pay for a return trip home during the contract/at the end of the contract?
     See above about bonuses, salary and benefits.   You can use the contract completion bonus for your airfare home, or to travel all about, it's enough for a really nice vacation somewhere.

Can I teach privately on the side?   Can I do other work on the side?
     You are free to continue your private business or do whatever you like so long as: 1) it is not language teaching, 2) does not violate Japanese law, and 3) does not interfere with your teaching schedule. Your first priority is your job and the Four Seasons teaching schedule. 

Do I have to do extra duties like attend Christmas parties?  Am I paid to do so?
     We no longer regularly hold this kind of cross-cultural event. If such an event does take place, it is scheduled in place of a regular class. Most social and cross-cultural events we have now are basically provided by the school for the teachers, so that teachers can better understand and enjoy Japanese culture.

     For example, in the spring we hold a "hanami" picnic when the cherry blossoms were in full bloom (flower viewing).  Teachers and staff bring along family and friends and the school provides some drinks and food. We all just hang out, talk, and enjoy the cherry blossoms.  Sometimes, we rent a bus and go sightseeing together.  And another event was when we all have gone to a beautiful Japanese Inn, had a magnificent meal and enjoyed the hot baths.

     These events are a lot of fun, and they are totally optional. You do not have to participate if you don't want to. On the other hand, we don't want a new teacher who is going to be unsociable and never want to join us in group trips and events.   So to answer your question, no, you don't have to come, although we hope you will, and if you do come, no we do not pay you for participating in these delightful events, they are provided for the teachers' enjoyment and edification and almost always are fully covered by Four Seasons.

Can you get a job for my spouse?
     Can your spouse teach English?  We have had many teaching couples and we're always delighted when a good pair applies.  In a few situations, when only a single job was open, we hired both and had them each teach a partial schedule until we had developed enough extra classes to make them full time.  Other times, we can register a teacher's spouse as a part-time employee and try to find assignments that fit his/her skills. 

     If your spouse has "no skills", then probably we can't find them a job.  But who knows, tell us more about that person's interests, experiences and capabilities and we will see what we can do.  No guarantees, but we're always willing to try.

I hear the economy is getting worse--could you fire me for no reason?  
     You have made a commitment to us and in turn, we make a commitment to you.  If you do your job properly, we will fullfill the contract that we sign with you.  We have never broken a contract with a teacher due to the reduction of corporate contracts--we have always found work or continued to pay full salary even with the teacher working reduced hours.  

     That said, if the teacher provides an unsatisfactory performance, engages in criminal activity or other unsuitable behavior, then we reserve the right to terminate the contract immediately.  Fortunately this has been a very rare necessity for us, but in our 20 plus years of operation, of course we have had a few problems.  For example, we were forced to fire one teacher for showing up to classes drunk and another for abusive behavior.