Warning: do not work here!

Not the first time I hear someone not getting their last paycheck, I've hear that happen to Bulgarians too. That's why you alway quit after getting payed. They know you are leaving and wount bother suing them plus as foreigners you are at the language disadvantage. That's a good warning for anyone working not only in Bulgaria but in any third world country, never reveal your long term plans to anyone. Also never discuss your money situation weather you don't have any $$$ or are rich both can impact you negatively.
Sorry to hear that this happened to you and your partner.

In fairness.
Did you have a 12 month contract, and did you break it?
The school may well have absorbed costs to employ you, and you leaving might well have cost them.
Perhaps they were just recovering some of their losses.

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.p … 65#2251234

10 November 2014 03:21:57

Hello my name is Kelsey Dinn and I have just moved to Sofia with my partner on the 8th November 2014. I am looking for a job and a apartment in Sofia. I am currently staying at the Crystal Palace Hotel. Any help/advice on getting started would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

https://www.expat.com/forum/profile.php … mp;lang=en

I was previously a senior care worker with qualifications in health and social care and animal care. I have experience in many different job roles from waitressing to shop assistant to nursing.

What do we have?
A waitress, attempting to work as an English teacher, employed sometime after the middle of November, not completing a full month in January, but moaning about the language school being unprofessional.

Yep.

Quite frankly Fred, you are missing the point.
If I give notice and work until that final day I expect to get paid for it.
I fail to see what qualification, career history or how long you worked there
has got to do with it.
There maybe an issue of was there a contracted period  but I don't assume anything
and as it was not stated.
So just stay with the facts quoted.

Hi I just want to say that reading your posts you originally where re-locating from UK to BG and looking for any job that would benifit english spoken work, the fact you managed to get a school is quite impressive that certainly would not have been the case if the roles were reversed.
I see that you were hoping to meet a wider UK network to socialise with, did you manage to find new friends or has this also been a factor in your decision to return to the UK?
All I can really say is at least you had a go and tried to make a go of it, hopefully you can learn something from this and chalk it down as a hard life lesson, it certainly will not happen again to you both.
Chin up, be proud you came out and tried, do not let it put you off future ventures I had a crash and burn experiance whilst trying to live and work in Cyprus, I hope you can work through it and both come out stronger.
Best wishes Steve.

I work for a reputable language school on a one year contract. If I break the contract by leaving early I forfeit the last months wages. I think it's common policy amongst language schools in order to cover themselves from staff leaving in the middle of a school term.

At least you gave it a go over here and you'll also have teaching hours experience to put on your CV should you decide to go elsewhere. It's not much consolation I know.

beahor wrote:

Quite frankly Fred, you are missing the point.
If I give notice and work until that final day I expect to get paid for it.
I fail to see what qualification, career history or how long you worked there
has got to do with it.
There maybe an issue of was there a contracted period  but I don't assume anything
and as it was not stated.
So just stay with the facts quoted.

I did.
She was employed there less than two months, not finishing the second month.
Sort of leaves her position more than a bit weak.
You must also consider the employer, and the fix she might well jave left them in.

Seems you don't know Bulgaria too well.
I have  no beef with schools, language or other as I am an engineer myself.
But a dear friend of mine, a new Zealander came  to Sofia back in 2009 to work at a reputed
language school as English teacher, and after a year decided to flag some serious  mishaps and loose standards at
his school to management. He was promptly fired and he never saw his final pay neither.
So, he joined another school and when he decided to leave a year later, being a straight fellow he is, gave plenty of notice and guess what, the final salary cheque is in the post ever since.
They know full well that the legal system is slow, cumbersome and most people will not bother suing as it is not worth it.
I could use much stronger words but will refrain.
And I do have more then a cursory insight into this, my partner being a Dr.jur

Remind them that they are now under EU rules and as such recompense is demanded and due to you.

If that is how they play, tell all when you are ready to leave, just leave.