Leave 

Various types of leave are available under South African Law. More details will be found in the Faculty Handbook that you will receive when you arrive in South Africa. To give you a very brief description, you will receive one day sick leave for every month of your contract (i.e. 36 days for the first three year contract). Thereafter, you will receive 12 days per year. Unused sick leave cannot be accumulated and is not transferable. All employees receive three days a year as Family Responsibility Leave, to be used if your child or spouse is ill. All teachers are eligible for three leave days with pay per year. Leave with pay days have some restrictions as to when they can be used.

• Bereavement Leave | up to 5 working days
• Family Responsibility Leave | 3 days
• Maternity Leave | 16 weeks (12 paid, 4 unpaid) - After 1 year of employment
• Maternity Leave I 16 weeks unpaid - before completion of 1 year of employment
• Paternity Leave I 10 days
• Adoption & Surrogate Leave | 6 – 12 weeks
• Leave With Pay | 3 days
• Sick Leave - twelve (12) days per contract year | 36 days in a 3 year cycle
• Recruitment Leave | 5 days

  Professional Development

$1,500 a year is available for your personal professional growth. This amount may be accumulated for up to 3 years. Additional funds for professional development are also available for school initiatives by application. Extensive school and regional based professional development opportunities available through AISJ’s Center for Teaching and Learning.

  Life & Disability Insurance

The School provides a life insurance policy, which pays four times your annual salary in the event of an approved claim, and a disability policy, which pays up to 60% of your base monthly salary to a maximum benefit of $6,500 per month up to age 65, in the event of an approved claim. The School pays all premiums on these policies and all overseas hired teachers are automatically enrolled. You will complete a beneficiary nomination form during the orientation session when you arrive in South Africa.

  South African Tax Income

AISJ pays the South African income tax liability for salary and all taxable benefits in accordance with the accompanying salary scale document.

  Retirement & Pension

AISJ provides a pension fund for all employees. Employees are required to join a pension scheme as mandated by the rules of the pension scheme and the laws surrounding the Pension Fund Act of South Africa. It is mandatory for employees to join the pension fund provided by the School. Upon employment, the School will register the employee with Momentum, the School’s local South African pension fund. On enrolment in the pension scheme, the School will contribute 10% of the employee’s base salary to Momentum. The School’s contribution is contingent of that of a 5% contribution of the employees base salary.

For Non-US citizen overseas hired Teachers, the School will contribute 13.2% of the Teacher’s base salary to Momentum — 10% towards the actual fund and 3.2% to accommodate tax associated costs involved upon withdrawal of the pension. The School’s contribution is contingent of that of a 5% contribution of the Teacher’s base salary.

   Retirement Age 

Based on the rules of Fund the normal age of retirement for the teacher shall accordingly be 65 years of age.

All benefit contributions will automatically terminate when the teacher turns 65 years of age

  Housing

The School shall provide you with ready to move in accommodation in accordance to your family size.
The housing will be as follows:

• Single-Two bedroom, 1 or 2 bathrooms - approximately 80 square meters.
• Single with one dependent child or trailing spouse: two bedrooms, two bathrooms - approximately 80+ square meters.
• Teaching couple with 1 or more dependent children: three bedrooms, two bathrooms - approximately 100 square meters.
• All housing is within an easy commuting distance to School

  Airfare

Home leave - In the case of faculty who are hired overseas and eligible to receive “overseas” benefits in accordance with the terms and conditions of their employment contract, they will receive an annual airfare allowance based on the cost of an economy class round-trip ticket to and from the approved international airport closest to their home of record. The amount of the allowance will be determined by taking the average of three quotes obtained from local travel agents.  

Mobilization - In the case of faculty who are hired overseas and eligible to receive “overseas” benefits in accordance with the terms and conditions of their employment contracts, the school will provide a one-way economy class airfare on a reputable airline and via a reasonably direct route to Johannesburg from the approved international airport closest to the faculty member’s home of record at the beginning of their employment with the school. The school will also provide the travel benefit to any qualified dependents documented on the original contract and living with the faculty member. The dependent(s) must have been declared and agreed to by the school upon the signing of the initial employment contract. Mobilization flights will be organized by the school on behalf of new employees and approved dependents.

Demobilization - In the case of faculty who are hired overseas and eligible to receive “overseas” benefits in accordance with the terms and conditions of their employment contract, the school will provide an airfare allowance based on the cost of an economy class one-way ticket to the international airport closest to the faculty member’s home of record at the end of their employment with the school. Airfares will be paid no later than March 30.

Bereavement - In the event of bereavement, faculty who are hired overseas and eligible to receive “overseas” benefits are entitled to receive an economy airfare to their home of record or the point of bereavement, whichever is less.

  Cars & Getting Around

Interest Free Car Loan When you arrive in Johannesburg, the Leadership Team of the school will be at the airport to meet you and take you to your home. For your first few days in South Africa, there will be school vehicles and drivers available to transport you around. South Africa does not have an effective or reliable public transportation system. Your first few days in South Africa will be Orientation Week. Having a driver and school vehicle available will allow you to become familiar with the roads and get used to vehicles driving on the left side of the road. After a few days, the school will rent a car for you for a period of two weeks. You can use this time to learn your way around and start looking for either a used or new vehicle. If you choose to keep the rental car after the two-week period, you may do so at your own expense.

It is important that you try and get a car as soon as possible. To get an idea of available models and the asking price for used vehicles, please look at the following web sites:

• www.cmhcarshop.co.za
• www.surf4cars.co.za
• www.autotrader.co.za
• www.carfind.co.za

When searching these web sites, please click on the “Gauteng Region” of South Africa. Gauteng is the name of the province that Johannesburg and Pretoria are located in. Once you have chosen your car, the School will assist you by checking it over for possible faults before you buy it, and getting it licensed once you have bought it. One thing to note: If you buy a car privately you will probably get a better price, but you will have no protection in case the car turns out to be “defective.” South Africa has very weak consumer protection laws. However, if you buy a vehicle from a dealer, the cost will be slightly higher, but you will have some assurance that the car will have been looked at and if something goes wrong, you can go back to the dealer. As a new employee, you are eligible for an interest free loan from the School for the purpose of purchasing a car. The maximum loan that will be approved is 40% of your annual salary, repayable over 20 months. The car loan is available only once during your employment with the School.

  Shipping Allowance

• If the Teacher is single – an amount of $3,500
• If the Teacher is single with children – an amount of $4,500 plus $1,000 for each approved dependent
• If the Teacher is married with a non-teaching spouse and dependent children – an amount of $4,500 plus $1,000.00 for each approved dependent
• If the Teacher is married or is involved in a permanent cohabiting relationship with another overseas hired contracted AISJ Teacher – the amount of $5,000
• If the Teacher is married or is involved in a permanent cohabiting relationship with another overseas contracted AISJ Teacher lives with him/her in South Africa, and has children – an amount of $5.000 plus 1,000 for each approved dependent

  Medical Insurance

Health care in South Africa is very good. There are a number of excellent private hospitals in Johannesburg and Pretoria that have all the facilities to cater for any type of emergency. There are numerous doctors’ offices located throughout the suburbs and they are easily accessible. Much of the equipment used by doctors in South Africa is state of the art, and most doctors’ offices are very well equipped. The school pays 100% of the contribution towards worldwide medical coverage. The medical policy is through the Scholars Health Insurance Program.

  Visas

AISJ pays for and facilitates all work visa and residency fees for teachers and approved dependents.