Teacher warns against 'strangulation contract' from employment agency
A novice teacher who was going to work through a Hague recruitment agency discovered that for the time being he could therefore no longer go to almost any primary school in The Hague for a permanent job.
Image: Pixabay
When teacher Donny Stumpel left the teacher training college, he got a job in the corporate world. Then he wanted to set up his own company, and also teach part-time. “I thought: the employment agency has good contacts with the schools here in The Hague, and can find me a match for a part-time temporary job. In the meantime, I can continue to work on my own company. ”
Markt
Through the job placement agency Brixs, Stumpel interviewed two foundations: The Hague Schools and Lucas Education. But afterwards he discovered that he therefore no longer has to count on a permanent job at both foundations - which together control almost the entire market in The Hague. “The Hague Schools has 52 primary schools and Lucas Education has 46. That means that I can forget about a permanent job at 98 primary schools in my region for the time being.”
Redemption payment
The reason for this lies in the contract that Brixs has concluded with the school boards. It states that schools may only hire a teacher who enters through an agency for a certain period of time - roughly between six months and a whole year - if a lump sum payment is made.
Stumpel: “In my case, it's about eight thousand euros. Schools are therefore tied to the employment agency with a strangulation contract, and the candidate is the victim of that. Moreover, I had to find out for myself - Brixs did not tell me. ”
We have concluded framework agreements with three agencies in which, put simply, we agree that we will not steal candidates
The Hague School acknowledges that agreements have been made about the employment of temporary workers. “We have concluded framework agreements with three agencies, in which we, simply put, agree that we will not steal any candidates,” said a spokesperson for The Hague Schools. “Brixs would inform the candidates about the content of the framework agreement. So that the teacher is aware of the fact that he or she cannot then simply join a school. ”
Revenue model
That has also happened in the case of Stumpel, says Brixs director Jasper van de Vooren. "The candidate has been very clearly informed of this." And there is no question of a 'strangulation contract'. “We have been working with school boards for many years, whereby this agreement is made as standard. After all, sending teachers is our earnings model. If the school then quickly hires those teachers on its own, we will lose our job. So it is best for a candidate to take permanent employment at a school, but then certain agreements apply. ”
Affordable
The contract is also a matter between the agency and the school, says Van de Vooren. The candidate is not committed to anything. And it can be advantageous for a candidate to work through a placement agency: "You can also try a number of different schools through such an agency first, to see how you like working everywhere."
Teacher Stumpel thanks for this: he is now employed at a school in the vicinity of The Hague. On a temporary contract, and not through an agency.
