Let's Japan.org Debunking Eikaiwa and Ramblings in Japan

Thanks Shawn,

Your site has been of immeasurable help and support to all of those affected by NOVA's meltdown.

That word 'closure' gets tossed around in all matter of situations and circumstances these days. As for me however I will see closure when I see it used in the literal sense as Nozomu Saruhashi's jail cell door CLOSES behind him every night for at least a few years!!

Motherf%$@er!

hmm, that's funny. i haven't heard a word from them yet.

So I havent recieved my papers yet, but Im real curious as to what will be shelled out Canadajin... could you reply?

Ive heard that we:

A. will be paid 80% for the months of September & October...

B. will be paid 60% for the months of September & October...

C. will be paid 80% for the months of September & October AND 60% for November up until the bancruptcy...

Can you clear that up OR anyone else who has received these papers? I sure do hope its answer C!

ex-Chiba teacher

no comment..just that i am too slow.

So I got my paperwork to apply for the unpaid wages today. It looks like I will be getting 80% of the wages owed for actual time worked and 80% of what is owed for the time I spent sitting in front of my computer searching for other jobs. (Oct 27 - Nov 26) To calculate the wage for staying at home the "accountants, government, trustees?" took our wages for the last 3 months and divided it by the number of days in the last 3 months, to find the average daily wage, then took 60% of that.

Ex. 319,000 x 3= 957,000/92= 10,402 x .60= 6,241
(mo. wage x months / calender days x 60%)

So 6,241 yen per day becomes my stay-at-home daily wage. Then they "pay" you this amount for every schedualed work day that you stay home. In an average month you work about 20-22 days.

So 6,241(daily stay-at-home wage) x 22(# of work days)= 137,308 yen

Well....137,308 yen is NOT 60% of 319,000 it's only 43%.

And of that you will only get 80%. So in reality you are only getting about 34%.

They have figured the average daily wage based on a calender month(30-31 days) but only paid us according to the number of days we should have worked(20-22days).

It's extremely deceitful and those in charge of creating these kinds of "calculations" should be ashamed of themselves.

Thank you Nova and thank you Japan, you leave me ready to go out and spread the word about the wonderful time I've had here.

One Angry Gaijin

it was suppsoed to be 80 percent of 60 percent or some weirdness? (the stay at home pay)

Would THAT account for your Funny Math?

Just asking..not trying to be a bastard.

While I think Nova executives still need to be charged, convicted, and put in prison, yeah, anyone who expected anything out of those mobsters (a year, or a career), was an idiot to begin with.

Even when times were good, Nova was still the worst choice to make - more hours, basically no vacations, asshole brainwashed whitey managers, you name it - it was always a blind rip-off, compared with most other places.

The Japanese government really needs to disassociate itself completely from the Nova mess, and the only way to do that, would be to have Saruhashi put behind bars. What are they scared of?

Saruhashi is and was a souless monster - he caused all this mess - he needs to pay, and pay big time.

Like everyone else I was sent the paper work for reclaiming my unpaid wages. It looks like we're being paid 80% of what we'd actually have gotten paid for the months of Sept., Oct. and Nov. It is all fairly clear on the form they send you. You need to use your hanko or sign in two places and date it for when you are sending it to them. Also if you are still living in Japan you need to send copies of your gaijin card and bank account book and that's it. I wouldn't advise leaving Japan until you actually get your money as it may slow up your receiving what's owed to you. But finally, finally, finally is all I can say!!!! But it still burns my ass that they don't have to pay me over 100,000 yen.

They are only paying us 80% of what we are actually owed, right? Well, if they actually had to pay me 100% of everything they owe me they would have to pay me over 100,000 yen more. As you can tell, they owe me quite a lot of money.

I received these papers too, I've made the calculation and found out that they will refund me exactly 80% of what nova owned me. I don't really see the point of "do the funny math ...". It's all very clear and straight forward: we get back 80% of Sept. and Oct. salaries (as they were, including allowances, travel card etc ...) and 80% of the 60% from Oct. 26 to Nov. 27 when we were waiting at home (for me will be 439,000 yen). Do the math and you all see,

as he picked up his hammer and saw.

http://www.nova.ne.jp/information/qa-staffs-en.html#qa0220-01
This has some good info for curious people. One thing I noticed is that if you don:t receive your forms then you should wait until March 5th, after which you are supposed to send a fax to the trustees with your personal information. Also, it said that payment would take a month after you submit your paperwork to the Japanese government

Probably pissing in the wind, but I noticed on my form that there was no reflection of the 57000Y NOVA was supposed to kick back for the unpaid rents. Anyone know the status of that money?

Mine also had a 57000y deduction.

IMHO it's been monkey arsed, under the bridge :(

I am out of the loop! We can get paid for the unpaid wages?!

Did I completely miss out or can I still claim?!

I haven't gotten the forms. I have gotten things since the Nova collapse though so they know where I am. When should I start to get worried? Who else hasn't gotten forms? I personally only know an an old AT got his but no one else.

Got 'em. A few of my buddies who left the country got theirs too, albeit to their Japanese addresses. Looks like I've got to pay a trip down to the post office sometime soon.

the right hand kanji column just asks you if the sum of money on the request for unpaid wages form ( top left of the most important sheet they gave you) and the sum of money on the certificate form( bottom right of the same sheet of paper) are the same. they should be the same.
the left hand kanji column just asks if you have filled in the info they asked for and signed your name(or hanko) in 2 places on the form. that's all

Im back in New Zealand now and have recieved the paperwork to claim my lost wages. I didnt give my details to the union, intead a faxed the trustees who are managing Nova's liquidation with my current address and employee number. The adress is on one of the forums on this site, the (I resigned but Nova still owe me money) forum. I have already completed the paperwork and sent it back but I have no idea who long it will take for the money to arrive in my account. Also there is a 20% foriegn resident tax if you are outside of japan when claiming your lost wages. Some have suggested that if you still have your Japanese bank account you could send it there and avoid the extra tax. But to do this could be risky as it is very easy for the Labor board or who ever is processing the claims to check if you are in the country by simply asking immigration. Oh and it proberly goes without saying that if you recieve your forms outside of Japan and then mail them back it is going to be pretty obvious your no longer in Japan.

I just received my paperwork for the back wages and was met with quite a pleasant surprise. I tried to resign at the beginning of October, but every time I called head office to inquire about my tax forms and separation paperwork I was told that my resignation forms never made it to head office. My temporary employer for the end of 2007 really wanted those, oh well. Fast forward to yesterday. My paperwork from the trustees arrived in America and it looks like they kept me on the books after I "resigned". I was officially employed by NOVA until they filed for bankruptcy on November 26th. That extra loot they factored in more than covers the additional 20% foreign resident tax that is being charged. I feel like I won the lottery! Finally, something related to the NOVA debacle goes in my favor.

who cares

Does anyone know how long it will take after we mail in our forms before the money is deposited into our accounts?

I'm not sure about these days, but a few years ago, I left an account untouched for 4 years and was able to use it again when I returned to Japan. I would guess your account is still open.

Do any of you out there remember when we were all signed up to Sumitomo-mitsubishi bank accounts. Well the reason they stopped doing it two years ago was because the accounts have to remain open for 7 years even if there is only change sitting in there. That is why that bank will no long deal with Nova teachers. Over the years there were close to 40 000 teachers that worked for the company. The bank had to update/service(was the word from head office) every 6 months. It became too expensive to do it. I would love to share more information

I sent in my forms today after checking many times to make sure I did everything right.

Well, I forgot to check the stupid boxes on the envelope. I kept going through the checklists and it was not on there, so it didn't occur to me while at the PO. If my pay is delayed because of that, fuck.

Anyone have any solid info on when we might expect to see our pay? I have heard 30 days, and others say months, but I think it's just their gut feeling.

cuz all those things I said were from Nova lessons..well..except for the thing about Fosters...I just say that cuz I know how much it annoys Aussies.

http://www.nova.ne.jp/information/qa-staffs-en.html#qa0220-01

Hey Canadajin,

Yeah I worked for them for a year and seven months but had a good time in japan despite wrking for them. I got out in Nov 05.
I think I remember a lesson that involved those cliche's about Aussies, spent alot of time telling my students it was a load of crap too from memory.

Damn I was a square cog in the Nova machine. Hated those mercenary bastards.

Pablo

The same thing happened to me. Got one letter since Nova closed but have been out of the loop didn't even know I was to get an insurance letter. Never got it I didn't even know to look for it. So it never crossed my mind to double check they had my new address. Of course if everyone got evicted everyone would have a new address. Why weren't we told these forms were coming? Why are there no whistle blowers out there? I have no forms. I am ready to kill myself over this. I really need this money. I have started faxing them everyday. No number to call. It is such bullshit. How are people in New Zealand getting forms but people here suffering aren't????

be grateful you got out with plenty of time..i lost my cushy job...and the dough that came with it..but i am only about 1000 times happier than I was with those weasels!....i used to live in Oz..i would go back in a heartbeat!....enjoy your summer !....(have a VB for me!)

The problem is although many of us still have a Japanese bank account open, when you return the forms you have to prove that you live there or else they will take that 20% non-resident tax. So us outsiders are faced with some problems:
1. By faxing the change of address forms we already reveal we are outside the country
2. When you return the forms you have to give them a copy of both sides of your gaijin card, if your gaijin card is your old address and the forms didn't get to you then they know your out of the country.
3. They also charge another 5000 yen to put it in a foreign bank account (that's a drop in the tank though)

Personally I'm thinking of going back, that 20% is a plane ticket in itself, and it's cold here

Hey Canadajin,

It's goddamn hot here, 40C, I spose you guys get that in reverse, I will drink a beer for you.....just not a VB either. I hate to be a pedantic bastard, but I'd prefer something like a Tooheys extra Dry or my favourite, Asahi (yes it's true) Supah Dorai!
Actually, I hate to admit such ignorance, what's a good or popular Canadian Beer? I should know this, my old room mate was a canadian from Toronto.

Yeah, I read you on the glad to be out of Nova feeling. Like a lead weight (a farkin big one) getting lifted from my shoulders/soul.

Pablo

just like Sydney isnt Australia.

lets not take each others eyes out..we are all in this together...youll get your cash..hang in there.

Sorry about my language before but I am wound up about it because I think it is deliberate. They sent my envelope to my old address, but when I checked the address on the application form inside, it had the correct address. Going by other posts, it's happened to quite a few people. What is that about?
Like the 20% income tax for those who've returned home (doesn't affect me but I still feel sorry for those it does affect) and the way they've calculated the stay at home rate, this is another thing that's just too easy for them to get away with.
We were lied to by NOVA, then G.communications and now I suspect we're being cheated in the cheapest, sneakiest way by the government-appointed Trustees so yeah, I'm wound up about it. I guess this was the proverbial straw.

just like Americans dont all say "ruff" when they mean "roof"..we have perfect Queen's Own English, thank you very much...(i do however say "Eh"..especially around other Canadians.)

Ski-Doo is a brand of snowmobile...but like Post-It Notes, Band-Aid, and other stuff, the name has become synonomous with the product....I fail to see how anyone would get into an arguement over that, let alone start a riot! Ha!

Had a statement in the mail yesterday that said my money will be in my bank Wednesday March 5th. Thats less than two weeks since I sent the papers off. I thought it would take longer as they had made a mistake which I had to correct. Couldnt come at a better time too.

I checked today and it was in, skin of my teeth stuff.

hey there,
i sent mine to +81 663606766
you may have tried this but you gotta leave off the first 0 and of course use the international dial out (in oz case, 0011) and country code (japan is +81).
my address confirmation fax arrived successfully according to the fax report on the 15th feb however, ive received no forms or had any contact from the govt appointed trustees since then. the only other thing i can suggest to you is to call the labour board hotline after 2pm japan time for assistance in english.
from oz: 0011 81 44556 9910
from elsewhere: internat dial out + 81 44556 9910

good luck to everyone in getting your money, even the dickheads who routinely have a go at emotionally depleted people expressing themselves on the only forum available to them. im back in australia, i dont check this everyday or even every fortnight. but believe me, nobody here has any clue what we went through during METIs brilliant ban. nobody understands what stress was caused by the lack of information, the constant lies, and of course the non payment of wages. i cant let myself dwell on it as the hatred that builds up inside me is so fierce im afraid of what i might do if i saw sahashi or anders. its just not a healthy emotion. but i know that if there is one single place i can go to vent where there will definitely be people who understand me withouit having to rehash it all and explain it (seriously, how do you explain the god faxes? his office? defrauding instructors? yakuza evicting instructors and senior management? labourers measuring up kashijin while we teach for the next business to occupy the space while the staff deny that nova is closing?... anyway..) if theres one group of people who know it all, its the people on this forum.

so, yes, yes, we all know (and guess what? we knew it when we were there too) the ESL industry in Japan is a joke. bankruptcy is not. so fuck off and leave the people who need support alone.

Hey all,

I still have not got my forms for unclaimed wages. I have sent faxes and mail. I am just wondering if anyone else is in this situation at this stage, everyone I know has already been paid. Any tips?

Get stuffed