I thought I should be in San Jose, California by now, working for the "biggest professional services organization in the world". But as Fate (?) would have it, I am still here in the Philippines, taking in more than my share of government bureaucracy. Well, I am p**ing from this diet I am having for close to three months now. Hello!!! It boggles the mind what's taking this government so long to approve the local agency tasked by my new employer to expedite POEA's issuance of the all-too-important Overseas Employent Card.
By the way Bloggie, I do not wish to chronicle the events leading to my clinching the Stars and Stripes job and eventually obtaining an H1B US visa for it...see? That statement was the long and short of it. And I could barely remember the nitty-gritties, anyway.
Lest you think, Bloggie, that I am heaping all the blame on this desperate government, my Big 4 firm also didn't quite get the alternative available to me - and effectively, to them also, right? - as prescribed by the POEA in case the waiting game drags on. Which is that I could just sign the POEA Waiver Form and therefore free Big 4 from any responsibility except those that bind them as per the employent contract. I kept on explaining this alternative to my Big 4 contact through email, then, just now and a couple of days ago, through phone. Her last response went something like their legal department adviced me to wait for the POEA's response and that I should advice them if I took this route because they were not aware of any waiver and its contents if ever I pursued in signing it. Somehow, I kinda expected this response if you know what I mean, Bloggie.
That's why it totally escapes me why they still had that bit about not being responsible for the waiver's contents. If you think about it, Bloggie, I'd end up with the shorter end of the stick. In the midst of its perpetual state of lethargy, I could appreciate POEA in protecting its overseas workers, thus the additional requirements which could confuse foreign employers. With the waiver, the employee (me!) has no choice but to stick with what's in the employent contract. It is THAT simple. It's sign-at-your-own-risk and I fully, fully understand it. The employent contract is super fine with me, anyway. The only thing lacking, as per the POEA, is that thing about repatriation of remains. My salary could afford it, thank you. And I have lots of relatives in California, whatever happens.
What's more exaspirating is that my San Jose contact is aware of my other colleague who resorted to the Waiver Move. Big 4's office in San Francisco, where he'd be posted, approved the idea. He is now waiting for his flight on 24 October. Grrr...
In the end, I know it is just a matter of time. But can I please be spared the runaround? It is never fun.
2 comments:
Well considering that most us emplyment contracts are a rather insulting joke from an international point of view I can understand why they would put several checks in place. Most people I know working for/at a US office actually have a local emloyment contract and it is put as a form of outplacement or whatnot.
It is always a pain when goverments and companies are being dificult. However personally if my contact wasn't putting in some extra effort at this stage I would have already refused the job. Usually when people aren't very helpfull resolving small issues they are even less so with bigger more complex ones. *chuckles* But that's me. ;-)
i can't do anything about our government.
as for my employer, it's not that they're vacillating or something, but i think it just boils down to them being always on the conservative side, if you must know how audit firms always are.
i am still quite hopeful, though. i just have to be. :)
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