Friday the 14th: Will NOVA Pay?

53 Responses to “Friday the 14th: Will NOVA Pay?”

1. anonymous on September 14th, 2007 11:21 am

   Nope. Didn’t pay. Might get paid by Tuesday next week.

2. Tyler Durden on September 14th, 2007 11:40 am

   Assistant Area Managers say thet an announcement will be made at 12 if there is nothing in the bank. Tokyo staff say they have no information. All very Fishy.
   If the instructors don’t get paid, they WILL walk.

3. Chris on September 14th, 2007 11:55 am

   Its about time the teachers walked.. (if they do) they should have all walked a hundred times before…

4. David on September 14th, 2007 6:26 pm

   I just found out we will get paid on the 18th. That was the last straw. I was supposed to take a vacation in Oct to visit family but I will not be coming back. I feel bad for a lot of the students who still seem to think its a great company. Oh well I only hope I get paid on tues as I don’t expect to get paid for sept once I’ve gone home.

5. For the record on September 14th, 2007 6:50 pm

   Normal instructors working in big cities were paid around midday today. Titled instructors and rural instructors are expected to be paid on Wednesday the 19th.

6. macha on September 14th, 2007 7:58 pm

   I contacted a lawyer to find out the legal situation in regard to today’s salary mess. Basically, as the company has cited an ‘error’ as being the cause of the non-payment, instructors would be best advised reporting to work until the promised payment date. If at this time payment is not received, instructors should then contact Roudokijyun Kantokusho 労働基準監督署 which is housed at “Hello work”, the employment offices for your given area and they will take legal action on your behalf. If one, as many would no doubt agree legitimately, chooses not to work from today onward and there is legal redress, the employee will stand to lose their claim because they have disregarded a company promise made in good faith to make payment. So, wait a few days before walking…
   Incidently, those who have left Japan and not received final paycheques might like to contact the office outlined above. Your embassy could help with the address.
   I know that staff are leaving head office in droves so it might pay to start looking for alternative employment. Do not forget though, that employees made redundant are eligible for a farely decent employment benefit for up to six months which could come in useful if one decides to develop some private teaching opportunities.To jump or to be pushed?

7. Not Telling on September 14th, 2007 9:48 pm

   No pay today. They say it will go though on the 18th but who knows. Gee I’m really starting to get a sore throat right about now. Maybe I’ll have to call in sick tomorrow.
   I might be better off using that time to look for another job.
   Everyone heard about how the Japanese Staff didn’t get paid on time last month, but I thought that NOVA couldn’t possibly be stupid enough to do it to their foreign staff. We will just leave!!!

   I urge all NOVA staff to contact their embassy and make an official complaint. If NOVA does go bust, this will have very bad repercussions for Japans image abroad. Surely the government cannot just let this happen?!?!?!?!?!

8. anonymous on September 14th, 2007 9:53 pm

   Shikoku and Chugoku teachers were not paid today. Apparently all other centers were paid as usual. A letter has been posted in affected centers regarding payments. It states payment will be made on the 18th. The letter states that ‘it was not possible to complete all the necessary operations’ for deposit to be completed on the 14th.

   One wonders how much warning upper management had. Apparently there was knowledge within management for several days, but no warning was ever passed to its employees.

   How many signs do NOVA employees need ?

9. NOVA Fails to Pay English Teachers : Japan Probe on September 14th, 2007 10:14 pm

   […] Yes, the rumors were true. English teaching mega-corporation NOVA is in such a horrible financial situation that it cannot even pay its teachers. Here is what some teachers are saying: No pay today. They say it will go though on the 18th but who knows. […]

10. Calvin Broadus on September 14th, 2007 10:58 pm

    I’m just a “green pea teacher” still on probation at the low end of NOVA’s wage scale and I got paid sometime today (Friday) between noon and 5:00 p.m. In full. But I work in Tokyo metro and not in the sticks. The “Let’s Japan” site is down tonight for the first time that I am aware of. I’m sure traffic is heavy there– maybe it’s bad news for some teachers outside the major metro branches.

11. Ron on September 14th, 2007 11:11 pm

    A few teachers got paid. Many did not. When I went to the bank today, I had not been paid either.

    Here is a link to one of the messages on GaijinPot that has a copy of the fax from Head Office saying that they were indeed not able to pay the instructors in the Chubu area.

    http://www.gaijinpot.com/bb/showpost.php?p=497675&postcount=36

12. William on September 15th, 2007 5:22 am

    Osaka and Tokyo teachers were paid but no one else was, very concerning.

13. Chris on September 15th, 2007 11:05 am

    I cant believe people who have been unpaid are still going to work…
    good luck to you all…

14. Ken Worsley on September 15th, 2007 4:07 pm

    I’m with you Chris - that is a fundamental part of the employer-employee agrement. I can’t imagine showing up to work for someone who didn’t pay me.

15. Chris on September 16th, 2007 6:53 pm

    If the company had earned my trust and respect.. well maybe I would hang tough..
    but this is Nova.. the only reason I went to work for them way back when was the paycheque (and visa)

    New rumour - recruiters are telling new teachers that they shouldn’t go.. and that if they do go.. they should bring some cash.

16. Snikit on September 17th, 2007 10:00 am

    Hello all,

    I just wanted to say I find it sad NOVA is having so much trouble. I had a wonderful experience with the company and they were always there when I needed them. I left the company after nearly seven years on positive terms just before this whole “trouble” got started.

    Yeah, there were some trouble spots during my career, but this was often because of my or others lack of maturity as an employee than anything else–something that is rampant amongst many of NOVA’s “fresh out of university” employees that think they should be treated like kings or queens no matter how much they stink. It is something that continues to affect (or is that infect?) NOVA’s teachers and the company’s foriegn-staffed upper management, even after I was with them.

    In the end, I left because, even though I was an Excellent instructor on all fronts–I have the evals to prove it–, I was unofficialy and secretly refused promotion to Block Trainer because the higher-ups did not like my personality. However, for this, I blame the AAM and RAAM for their deception and cowardice in not providing me with the truth, not the company itself. I know as people read this they may fail to see the distinction, but it is there, believe me.

    While everyone seems content to walk, jump up and down, dance, or scream and shout as NOVA draws closer to its grave (will it fall in?), I think many are unable to look past the pay problems and are missing the bigger picture. I strongly believe NOVA’s demise will reinforce Japan’s distrust of foriegners more than anything else. Yes, the company is dying due to shady company practices, government restrictions, and bad press, but this is not what the Japanese people will see. The Japanese people are notorious for blaming everyone and everything else when it comes to anything foriegn. After all, it’s not the Japanese president’s face we see on the NOVA posters is it? And we don’t see the Japanese in much of an uproar over the NOVA teacher that was murdered this year, do we?

    It is a sad state of affairs indeed.

    Oh well, everyone enjoy their gripe and “I told you so” fest over the crash of the English Teaching Flagship in Japan. Lord knows there are so many honest companies in the world who put people first. And while I hope you all get paid, don’t forget the bigger problem. However, if you can’t see beyond your paycheck (I know it’s hard), then enjoy your little party when the media finds NOVA’s president and his German partner have hanged themselves somewhere over their financial woes. After all, their dream to help bring English and our cultutres to Japan–even though it was eventually corrupted by greed–did more harm than good and there is absolutely nothing about NOVA worth saving except the cash. Right?

17. Cranky on September 17th, 2007 10:27 pm

    As a former AT for Nova I still haven’t been paid for last month. Luckily got in with a good company but I still have a lot of friends working with Nova. I’m sad to say though that with pay delays, so much nasty publicity and anyone with half an inclination to stay in Japan looking for work elsewhere the picture is pretty grim. Even if they could maintain student sales the teachers are going to be leaving in droves.

18. Ken on September 18th, 2007 11:58 am

    While everyone seems content to walk, jump up and down, dance, or scream and shout as NOVA draws closer to its grave (will it fall in?), I think many are unable to look past the pay problems and are missing the bigger picture. I strongly believe NOVA’s demise will reinforce Japan’s distrust of foriegners more than anything else.

    I find that to be a very simplistic generalization of Japanese people that I just don’t see any evidence of, let alone proof for. If you have some kind of evidence or proof of this, please show us.

    At any rate, I don’t think it’s relevant to a discussion of the company and its broken business model and desperate financial condition. It is in the process of going down and those who are involved with a company that is going under can hardly be faulted for not seeing a bigger picture, even if the blinders are only temporary.

19. sbaf on September 18th, 2007 4:13 pm

    It appears that a number of Nova instructors who previously missed out on their monthly payment, did indeed, as “promised” by Nova pay roll, get paid today.

    Just how many Nova teachers got paid what their locations are and what their position is I don’t know.
    Could a Nova trainer and someone outside of Osaka verify that they have received a payment today?

20. nokimo on September 18th, 2007 10:05 pm

    I’m in Tohoku and all the teachers I know got paid! Now let’s start the countdown for next month!

21. Cranky on September 18th, 2007 11:41 pm

    I still haven’t been paid. AT’s who jump ship apparently have the lowest priority. Was told officially that tomorrow will be the day so here’s hoping. Apparently, many customer service staff have walked out due to the paycheck fiasco. The fan’s on full power and the bunny is flinging the caca. It’s actually quite a spectacle to witness. Watching a behemoth writhe around in it’s death throws.

22. Kevin on September 19th, 2007 12:46 pm

    It is now the 19th, the Titled Instructors were supposed to have been paid today, but now we are hearing it will not be until the 21st. The Kansai teachers (those that I talked to) got paid around 4pm yesterday. Many that I have talked to did not go to work today, and are going to resign before weeks end. This is the beginning of the end for the company.

23. Some Good News on September 19th, 2007 4:36 pm

    Well Hokkaido is probably one of the last areas to be paid and my salary was in the bank on the 19th as promised. I`m resigning as I have family commitments and wish Nova the best of luck. I speculate it will downsize and restructure but I do not know if this will help its image with consumers. I also hope that this does not flow onto other eikaiwas, but feel that we might see a reduction in size and number of large schools or their enrollment system, class sizes, native speaker numbers and general staff practices. English is a hobby in Japan for most and luxury item too. So since the real salary is not expanding for the average citizen I think a large number will lose interest or seek cheaper alternative ways of study like self study or private teachers. Also like most hobbies the fads change Chinese is on the rise and Korean, French and Italian etc. Real business and research English speakers are a relatively small part of the market.

24. Bob on September 19th, 2007 6:58 pm

    The pay problems that we have been having don’t seem to have been reported in the press… not one student has mentioned it to me. Am i right? Or are they aware of it and don’t much care? I have spoken with my AAM and RAAM and both have seemed embarrassed and defeated. They know about as much as we do about what is going on. Frankly the Japanese Managers seem to be burying their heads in the sand and wasting as much time as they can with endless, pointless, fruitless meetings. Most annoyingly these problems were created by the Japanese management in Osaka, but it will be the foreigners who in the end take the blame if the company goes under. For now we are supposed to be carrying on as if nothing is wrong just like they do in that old British comedy film “carry on up the Kyber” where the Brits continue with dinner despite being shelled by some angry natives. Also there are some conspiracy theories circulating regarding the possible resignation of one of the top Managers and the lack of a signature on the Presidents letter of apology. The Japanese believe that they don’t need to give out information about what is happening to it’s staff. They don’t understand why this is frustrating and that this is what is causing instructors to quit. If they came out and laid it on the line people might feel like they should stick with them a bit longer. My message to Mr Sahashi and is senior staff would be “come clean, don’t treat us like children”.

25. Chris on September 19th, 2007 9:13 pm

    Its amazing…
    I mean this is real…. we are watching the leviathan dying before our eyes…
    but the Japanese media are yet to pick up the story…
    while the Aust. media have picked it up…

    TTs still unpaid… surely the Grim Reaper is standing at HQs door and just waiting to knock.

    Why isn’t this being reported… the students, teachers and staff deserve better treatment… oh its Nova… whaddya expect.

26. billy shears on September 20th, 2007 5:43 pm

    Nova is going to close 200 schools at the end of this month…is your job on the line ?

27. Bob on September 20th, 2007 9:54 pm

    Anyone have any information on where these schools are closing and is their likely to be an announcement soon. Will there be job losses and if so anyone know how many?

28. Ken Worsley on September 20th, 2007 9:56 pm

    Billy Shears…great pseudonym…anyway, that’s an excellent question that people need to be asking themselves. NOVA denied that he 200 schools are going to close in the Nikkei, but that only serves to confirm suspicions.

    What a lot of people who have only been in Japan a short time fail to understand is the way in which Japanese firms tend to go bankrupt. They do not give notice. They do not give warning. They will not let the employees (Japanese or otherwise) know ahead of time that they plan to not make the final salary payment. You will simply show up on payday and the doors will be closed. This happens time and time again, yet we read comments where people say the teachers are not professional for quitting without 30 days notice. Horseshit.

    If, as Billy Shears suggests, your job is on line line, do something about it. You don’t owe nobody nothing.

29. Is it over? on September 20th, 2007 11:58 pm

    All I can say is bad management !!! and incompetent AAM`s and RAAM like Rob England
    just to name a few… a company that should be still profitable has out smarted itself in the
    end I worked for nova 4 years and I saw it coming and now it`s here…

    THE END

30. Pellegrini on September 21st, 2007 12:22 am

    The Mainichi has an article claiming that
    around 100 schools are going to get the axe
    or be merged with other schools.

    Click here
    to read the article.

31. Pellegrini on September 21st, 2007 12:24 am

    Sorry, here’s the link again.
    http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/national/news/20070920p2a00m0na029000c.html

32. Chris on September 21st, 2007 8:14 am

    Kyodo news is reporting as many as 200….

    and my mates who are Titled Teachers remain unpaid…

    It will probably be 900 schools anytime soon….

33. Ken Worsley on September 21st, 2007 11:22 am

    “Is it over”,

    When commenting, please refrain from insulting people by name. To do so anonymously shows immense degrees of immaturity mixed with an insecurity complex. If you have a problem with someone, take it up with them face to face, like an adult would.

34. Bob on September 21st, 2007 1:30 pm

    Just had a call from my boss, Titled instructors will not be paid until Tuesday now. I genuinely felt sorry for the guy…He’s got the worst job at the moment.

35. Nini on September 21st, 2007 2:21 pm

    So….
    This is the third promise!!! Yes, titled instructor still don’t get paid!
    3 is the limit I think! start packing guys!

36. Jeremy on September 21st, 2007 4:01 pm

    Yes, it is over. If any instructors want to stay in Japan you
    better go on interviews now and arrange for places to stay now.
    If you wait then you’ll be on a plane within a couple of months.

    Jeremy

37. Jeremy on September 21st, 2007 5:15 pm

    Bob- do you really think they’ll be paid on Tuesday?

38. Bob on September 22nd, 2007 1:41 am

    If you just walk out on them, you will be the one breaking the employment contract. This makes it difficult to claim your unemployment insurance if Nova does go bust. Also how do you think walking out on your employers looks to other companies you apply for…this is Japan after all. It’s all very well and good for those who no longer work for the company or those who were on there way out anyway to beat the ‘industrial action’ drum but it’s not for those others who actually work really damn hard for the company (there are those on here who will sneer at that, but, let’s face it, a lot of those people just couldn’t hack it with Nova and are now looking for some payback) and put a lot in to it and Japan. Yes you have to do what you think is right for you, but people need to analyze their position. Just saying “quit” and “go get a new job” is not helpful because that is not as easy as it was a few years ago, especially at this time of year!!! Let’s have some better advice on here please.

39. David Carmichael on September 22nd, 2007 8:04 am

    If an employer doesn’t pay you on the date stipulated in your contract, it means the company is going bankrupt. You should also report this to the government agency that someone mentioned above and start looking for a new job immediately. The more you delay the harder it will be to find a new job at this time of the year.

40. brick on September 23rd, 2007 11:55 am

    If Nova does fold, then there will be several thousand feigners wondering around Japan with time still remaining on their visas. How will the Japanese authorities welcome that? I was given a hard time by immigration when I was leaving Japan with a month still remain on my visa and was given the impression that I wouldn’t be welcomed back even to as a tourist.

41. Ken Worsley on September 23rd, 2007 1:10 pm

    Bob,

    Also how do you think walking out on your employers looks to other companies you apply for…this is Japan after all.

    I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: speaking as a business owner, I would have more respect for an applicant who would come to me for an interview and had enough balls, self-respect and confidence to just walk out on a bad employer. That’s someone I can provide the opportunity to stay for, and someone I think could make good business/finance judgments. The person who stays with an employer while not getting paid simply doesn’t impress me.

42. Bob on September 23rd, 2007 6:20 pm

    You are not Japanese Ken!!!!

43. David Carmichael on September 24th, 2007 8:31 am

    NOVA is such a large employer of foreign teachers that everyone (teaching related) knows what’s going on. Any Japanese language school/company would understand if a teacher decided to quit suddenly because he/she didn’t get paid by his/her previous employer. Other language institutions would not think it was a negative thing to do so and would not hold it against a prospective candidate (as long as you don’t slag off the company in your cover letter or the interview).

44. Cranky on September 24th, 2007 5:59 pm

    This is very true. Firstly a lot of teaching opportunites are provided by foreign owned companies or at the very least the recruiters are foreign. I also have a pretty good relationship with my current manager and am privy to his thoughts/concerns in interviews. Saying I needed to leave because I have to protect my personal interests is not going to work against you. A “they screwed me, so screw them” attitude most definately will.

45. Ken Worsley on September 24th, 2007 7:58 pm

    I think Dave is 100% right here - everyone in the industry knows what’s going on and I can’t imagine anyone holding it against someone who leaves Nova suddenly because they’re not getting a paycheck.

46. Nini on September 25th, 2007 1:17 pm

    No pay yet!! Anybody know what’s going on?
    Couldn’t get any information from AAM….

47. Sean Brown on September 28th, 2007 10:39 am

    A blog written on the 27th talks of a huge walkout in Osaka Head Office after Japanese staff were not paid (again). Here’s the link:

    http://www.memoirs-of-a-gaijin.blogspot.com/

    Is this just rumor? Has anyone heard anything? I can’t find anything about it from English newsources or forums.

    Does anyone know anything about this???

48. Bob on September 28th, 2007 8:19 pm

    Titled Instructors in my area got paid today…what does that mean?

49. Sean Brown on September 29th, 2007 8:04 am

    I talked to my AAM in Gunma prefecture and she insists that a buyout is in the works. When I asked if it was the government or a private investor who was bailing Nova out she said that it was confidential. She was adamant that we will recieve a fax about it in the next two days. We’ll see if that comes or not and if it’s real information or more poetry from the President.

    I can also confirm that titled instructors in my area were paid but, as of yesterday at least, Japanese staff were not.

50. Ken Worsley on September 29th, 2007 10:22 am

    When I asked if it was the government or a private investor who was bailing Nova out she said that it was confidential.

    Haha. Classic. This line has been trot out before so many bankruptcies it’s not even funny. Sometimes the ‘buyout’ does indeed happen - but they strip assets and the workers are never better off, off the new party is even worse at managing the company. At any rate, the workers always end up unemployed.

    Think about it: Nova is a publicly traded company. Why would its sale be ‘confidential’ but known by someone at the AAM level? They really know how to insult your intelligence.

51. Bob on October 7th, 2007 7:50 pm

    Come on, someone must have some idea as to what is going to happen now.

52. Ex gaijin on October 26th, 2007 9:31 am

    I am writing in response to the person who slagged off Rob England.
    As a former AAM of Nova and someone who knew Rob personally, I feel
    that I need to come to his defense. I understand that you are mad about the
    situation. It’s unfortunate and I feel for all of you who are stuck in this tragedy.
    But let me set one thing straight: You give Rob and all other AAMs or RAAMs too much
    credit for the demise of Nova. As a former AAM, let me assure you that we very often knew
    as much or as little as the instructors. And we most definitely had no say in any of the
    company policies. We merely carried them out.

    I hurt for my friends who are unfortunately caught in the cross-fire. Hard for you to believe
    but most of the AAMs are sad and troubled. They did not enjoy going in to close the schools down and
    tell teachers about it. And realise that most of these AAMs have invested many years working
    for Nova. They have families and children to think about too. Most call Japan home and they
    hurt just as much, if not more than you do too.

    What is, is. I am sitting here in Dallas, Texas mostly relieved that I left when it was still good.
    But most of me is also sad because the company who gave me a job and an opprotunity to travel
    and meet wonderful people is about to face destruction. Finger pointing and blaming is not
    going to get you another job. Stop your whinging and as Ken says, get off your behind and
    go get another job. They aren’t going to pay you so stop hanging around and looking for
    someone to blame and just get on with it.

53. MelbourneGirl on January 24th, 2010 10:18 pm

    Is that Robert England the bald headed guy? He was hot!

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