TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SCHOOL CAMP CONTRACT OFFER

The following page acts as an official contract offer from TECS Camps to you the employee. Please make sure to read the following carefully, along with the full job profile (available here) before clicking the “I accept” button at the bottom of the page.

The contract offer conditions are broken down into:

Conditions of the Contract
Other Conditions + Notes
What to do next?

1. CONDITIONS OF CONTRACT

BREACHES OF CONTRACT:

T he following situations will be viewed by TECS camps as breaches of contract and could result in the termination of the said contract:

Being unfit for work because of alcohol indulgence.
Repeatedly being late for work without adequate explanation.
Having any form of physical relationship with a camper or crew member (camp helper).
Any form of sexual activity, or inappropriate activity for a children’s environment, anywhere on the camp facilities.
The skipping of duties without given justification.
A repeated failure to do what is asked of you.
Consumption of any controlled substance (non-prescription drugs).
Drinking or Smoking in front of the children (working and non-working time).
The smoking staff areas are the only designated smoking areas and smoking inside tents or rooms, for obvious fire risk reasons, is absolutely forbidden. Consuming alcohol on the camp facilities is not permitted in any area.
The drinking of any alcohol at any point during working time is not permitted, including when off site, while at the beach or on an excursion, even if it is just one beer (this is for obvious legal and more importantly safety reasons because as we all know – one beer is rarely just one!).
Going off site when responsible for night time supervision of campers.
The inappropriate use of Spanish in front of campers will not be permitted by anyone bar management or support staff.

INAPPROPRIATE ACTION ON TECS CAMPS:

TECS requires all staff to adhere to the following list of rules (in addition to the more serious ones mentioned above) and not doing so may result in disciplinary action and affect the employee’s reference:

Footwear must be worn at all times. Going bare foot is not permitted. Sandals may not be worn during sports sessions or any time when injury to the toes could take place. This is for obvious safety reasons and because staff are example of safe practice to the campers.
The correct Camp uniform must be worn at all times while working. It is not permitted to wear the camper t-shirt in the place of a staff shirt nor is it permitted to alter, cut up or paint, the camp uniform in any way.
Staff are expected to appear well groomed and tidy during all work time and of an image that parents would expect of someone who looks after their children.
TECS like any educational organisation has certain dress/appearance code requirements. These do not exist to discriminate against the appearance of any individual but rather, as in the case of any educational authority, to provide a standard environment which avoids influencing children in any way. Obviously these regulations apply to only work time, although staff should be aware that TECS sees staff training week as fitting into work time. These dress and appearance codes are in line with Spanish law and follow the standards set out by the Spanish state school system.
1. TECS remains the right to request that staff members remove/ change certain appearance factors which do not fit with the image that parents expect.
2. TECS reserves the right to ask any staff member to cover up any tattoo which is deemed inappropriate for a children’s environment. This would include any tattoo with sexual innuendo or inappropriate language.
3. Our rules on piercings are the following:
  1. Excessive (in size or appearance) piercings cannot be worn during work time by any individual regardless of gender. We reserve the right to define what is excessive and a staff member on signing this contract is accepting this fact.
  2. Females are permitted to wear small earrings/studs during work time, but will be asked to avoid wearing large or long dangling earrings that could cause danger during active activities on camp.
  3. Females are permitted to wear very small nose studs as long as the number of them is not excessive and the appearance of them is appropriate for working with children.
  4. Males are not permitted to wear earrings/studs or any facial rings or studs during work time.
  5. Eyebrow rings/studs and certain large nose, tongue rings and earrings are not permitted by any staff and will be asked to be removed during work time.
  6. Belly button piercings and studs are permitted to be worn on beach excursions or during swimming pool classes as long as they are of a small size and appropriate appearance for a children’s summer camp and do not cause danger (possible cuts/scratches etc…) to other people whilst swimming or doing activities in the pool.
  7. TECS asks all staff to bear in mind that although all the above is controlled with contracted TECS staff members to provide as said a standard norm acceptable to parents from a variety of backgrounds, we do not apply the same regulations to the campers as we understandably see this is prerogative and zone of responsibility of each parent. However, we do control that campers do not get piercings nor tattoos whilst with us nor change their appearance dramatically (like dying hair) as it is our responsibility to supervise they do not do things like this without parental permission. We also of course control that appropriate clothing is worn at all times.
  8. Please bear all of the above in mind and if relevant remember to bring appropriate studs/earrings which fit in with this criterion as it will be enforced by camp managers. Please note that TECS will not accept the excuse that piercing holes will fill up if piercings are not permanently in place which is something the contracted staff member must bear in mind and plan for before coming to camp.
  9. Staff can not go bare-topped (without t-shirt) anywhere on the camp facilities (except the swimming pools) while children are present on the camp, this includes non-working time.
Unless there is a specific work reason, staff may not go down the corridors, or into the rooms, of the opposite sex. (This is because young children can very easily misinterpret situations).
Staff must enforce all the Camp Rules (as per manual) upon their leader group children at all times and can not turn a blind eye to the breaking of any of them. This includes supervising elder campers who are in relationships are acting in an acceptable way at all times.
Staff who are in relationships can not show inappropriate physical affection towards each other at any time, working or non-working, in front of the children. This includes actions such as: kissing, excessive hugging, innuendo etc…
Guests, non-camp workers, are not permitted to sleep on the camp facilities at any time and are only permitted on the camp facilities during the day, if the Camp Director has given permission.
Staff are only permitted in the swimming pool during the set open times (if unsure about these a management staff member must be consulted). Swimming at night for obvious safety reasons is forbidden and will be seen as a disciplinary issue.
Staff can not receive non-emergency phone calls during working time and must not use non-work mobiles during working time. (If a non-emergency call is received on the camp mainline during working time, a message will be taken).
Alcohol is not permitted to be stored on the camp facilities.
Staff may not use the office phones for making outgoing personal calls and can only use them for receiving calls if agreed with the Camp Director (in camp which have pay phones, they can be used with most phone cards and can also receive calls). Work mobile phones can not be used for personal use unless agreed otherwise with the Camp Director. Phone bills are checked weekly.
Staff must keep their own sleeping areas appropriately tidy as an example to the campers. Checks will be done every so often and staff members with untidy rooms will be asked to tidy them.
Staff members who smoke must accept that a reality of camp is that smoking (in the smoking area on camp) can only be done during non work time .
Staff should not connect with, communicate, or upload photos of campers on the internet or social media. This includes phone, email, befriend/connecting on social media, or messaging apps like WhatsApp.

LEGAL PARTICULARS

The applicant on signing the conditions of contract form agrees to the following:

That TECS can use any photographic/video material taken while on camp in its marketing campaigns and has the copyrights to the said material.
That TECS may later use any TEFL or General Resource material which is made or used on camp, either in its academy or on future camps and again has the copyright to this material.
That they agree to be part of the TECS database and grant TECS the right to send correspondence, by post or email, before and during the contract dates, and after, unless otherwise requested not to by the employee.
1. This will include sending emails on travel data and on manual updates. Normally emails will be put in the “cco” (hidden) field but with some emails they will be put in “para” (public) to allow staff members to be in contact with each other prior to the start of camp.
Staff are responsible for their own property and for this reason TECS cannot be held responsible for any lost or stolen items, although in both circumstances TECS will assist the staff member where possible to recuperate the item.
All TECS employees come as part of the Spanish government’s language and cultural exchange programme, and as part of this agreement TECS provides all of its employees with accident and emergency medical insurance for the length of their contract (details in “services provided by TECS”).

Notes for Applicants on contract withdrawals

Usually most applicants who are offered contracts are missing required paperwork or information. In this case TECS reserves the right to cancel the contract if:

The missing information is not received within the required time, or TECS is not informed of why the missing information/forms could not arrive by the stated time. The time to send this information is within two-four weeks of the contract offer, or as stated, if different, in the email sent along with the contract offer.
If the missing information is a reference form and it does not meet the required level by TECS.
If certain information is received in a criminal reference check that puts in question an applicant’s appropriateness to provide pastoral care to children.
If we receive any key information which is contradictory to that which we had been lead to initially believe outlined in the applicant’s application.

PERIOD OF NOTICE and ILLNESS:

In cases of contracted staff members requiring to terminate their contract early, a period of fourteen days notice must be given. TECS will request a reason for the termination and in the case of employees requesting a termination for non-essential reasons (those not requiring a specific new finishing date because of important personal reasons – exam re-sits etc . .), TECS remains the right to request that the employee work until the end of a camp (camps run on two week periods), even if it more than the ten days’ notice. Failure to give the said notice, or to agree to work until the end of a camp if requested, could result in pay being subtracted from the contracted pay, and will result in the company being unwilling to provide a reference for the staff member. Contracted staff who give ten days’ notice and work until the end of a two week camp if requested, will be paid for all the time worked and will be provided with a reference reflecting the quality of the work they have put in up to this point. Staff choosing to end a contract early will be required to sign a change of contract document and also will be required to help train and integrate to camp any new staff member who may be taking their place, this is particularly true in the case of managers.
TECS will cover for staff members in case of genuine sickness, however illnesses that result because of staff indulgence, for example alcoholic consummation the previous night, will not be tolerated and may be viewed as a breach of contract.

2. Services Provided for by TECS

Accommodation

TECS provides school camp staff with accommodation for the entire length of their contract (unless otherwise stated on the job profile). When working on a camp staff will share a room, cabin or tent with either other staff or campers. When not working on camps, staff will be given accommodation in our company apartment. Depending on the amount of staff living in the apartment the quite possibly will need to share a bedroom as assigned. Between all of the occupants of the apartment, staff will be responsible for making sure that the apartment is looked after, and kept clean and tidy.

Food

As our offices are on a school grounds, TECS offers staff lunch whenever they are working onsite (whilst the school is running). TECS also provides staff with all meals during camp (i.e. whilst the campers are onsite). Staff will need to provide their own food for all other meals (i.e. breakfast in the apartment, or the day before a camp starts).

Camp caters for all common known dietary issues but the following must be accepted by any applicant with a special issue:

Food allergies will be passed on to the kitchen and they will cater for them. Although mistakes are very rare, ultimately, as an adult, it is the responsibility of the individual staff member to double-check any meal they are unsure about and make sure it for certain doesn’t contain something they can’t eat. Welfare Coordinators can provide assistance with communication with kitchen staff if this is needed.
All types of vegetarians are catered for and daily vegetarian meals are provided. However all vegetarians must understand that at times the variety of these meals could be limited, especially if they do not eat fish, and also that Spanish kitchens are not very accustomed to catering to vegetarians so at times different standards to Anglo-Saxon countries may exist. We ask that you bear this in mind before coming to camp and constructively raise any issue through your Welfare Coordinator whilst on camp. We also do not recommend camp for anyone who is a full vegan as although we will do our best to cater for their needs it is unlikely for obvious reasons that we will be able to do so to the level they expect.

Camp cuisine is exactly what you would expect, food cooked on mass for sometimes up to 300 people in four daily turns. We place great importance on providing a healthy balanced Spanish diet but of course with mass produced food this is not always easy to achieve despite all our best intentions and also naturally each individual anyway will have different opinions on what they like and at times on what is healthy. We ask that each staff member bear this fact in mind and remember that working in the camp kitchen is no easier than working with children and to remember that the best solutions to any problems always come through understanding and working together and not through just demanding and expecting. We also ask that staff unfamiliar with Spanish diet bear the following in mind:

It contains quite a bit of fried food, more than most non-Latin countries, but also on the other side usually has less packaged food on the menus.
Generally there are less green vegetables but on the other side salad is a part of almost every meal and legumes are a frequent part of meals.
It tends to have a lot of nutritious soups and stews which are often the main part of a meal so don’t forget to eat them.
Usually the breakfasts are simple affairs (many Northern Europeans can be disappointed by this), lunch is a grand meal and dinners also still quite substantial. Meal times are also usually later than most countries.

Please bear in mind on arrival to camp to check the kitchen is aware of any dietary issues you may have. The way to do this is to inform your manager.

We ask that all staff raise any issue with food in an understanding and constructive way with their manager, never forgetting that canteen food will never be like home-cooking for one.

Spanish Classes

TECS, where possible, offers weekly Spanish classes to its staff during the academic year. School camp staff will be given the opportunity to attend these classes as long as they are offered and they aren’t working on a camp.

Medical and Insurance Assistance

All TECS employees come as part of the Spanish government’s language and cultural exchange programme, and as part of this agreement TECS provides all of its employees with accident insurance and emergency medical insurance for the length of their contract. The medical insurance covers for any emergency medical treatment needed for an illness contracted during the duration of their contract (but not for illnesses that people bring with them to camp). The accident insurance covers all work related accidents.
E.U. citizens are also covered for non-emergency medical treatment but they must bring with them an in date E111 form or European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).

CONDITIONS OF PAY

All TECS staff will be paid between the 1st and 5th of the month after they have worked.

Pay advances are permitted, and should be requested in advance to your manager. All staff must be aware of how payment works and bring adequate money with them to finance themselves during their time on camp.

3. Other Conditions + Notes

HOURS OF WORK:

Contracted staff members must recognise that camp days are extremely long and tiring. Each staff member will have assigned time off, as stated in the relevant job profile, but must recognise that meetings or tidy up tasks will at times encroach into this time off and they must be willing to accept this (this is an unavoidable part of any camp). TECS will try to keep these encroachments to a minimum.

When not working on camps, school camp staff will work far reduced hours compared to the Spanish full time 40-hour week. This is in recognition that staff will work so much harder during camps.

Contracted staff members must also recognise that they will have to work whenever there is a camp. These can sometimes take place on weekends or national holidays. This time will be made up to staff at some point.

Extra time off during camp days will be given out but will be related to staff performance, with more bonuses of time off being given to those who work hard and maintain positive attitudes. Extra time off will not be given to all staff members as a right.

COMPLAINT’S PROCESS

Like all jobs, camp work will produce moments when employees are dissatisfied and dispirited. The best way always to deal with these moments is to express these feelings in a positive way and work with the management team to find a solution to the situation.
TECS camps operates the following system to encourage employees to constructively express their concerns:

There will be a weekly staff meeting with managers. Group issues can be addressed in these meetings.
One to one meetings with the Coordinators or Directors can be arranged when it is deemed that communication through the general meeting has not had the desired effect.

REFERENCES

TECS has a standard reference form that will be provided to all staff members who wish to be provided with one at the finish of their contract, or any time thereafter. The general reference will assess their overall performance in all job responsibilities areas, as outlined in the job profile and in work manuals. TECS has the following grading of references to reflect the staff member’s work performance:

Excellent (Staff member fulfilled all responsibilities to a level much higher than that required and would most likely be suitable for added responsibilities).
Very Good (Staff member fulfilled all responsibilities to a level higher than that required).
Good (Staff member fulfilled all responsibilities to the required and hoped for level).
Satisfactory (Staff member may have had some small problems in some areas but on whole fulfilled their job responsibilities to an adequate level).
Unsatisfactory (Staff member is judged to have not done the majority of their tasks to the required level).

General references will be sent in PDF to applicants by email at the end of camp. They will also be supplied to any future employer who requests a reference check although usually we will also provide extra personal data to employers when the applicant was known personally by one of our camp year round managers. References will only be posted if requested by the applicant.

4. What to do next?

STEP 1: Accept the Contract

Please make sure to read the following carefully, along with the full job profile (available here) before clicking the “I accept” button at the bottom of the page.

If you should have any issue with anything in the job profile, the terms of the contract outlined on this page, or any of the details outlined in the email you received offering you the position (dates, wage, etc.) then please make sure to email employment@tecs.es asap.

Once you click the “I accept” button at the bottom of the page you will be taken to another form that you are required to complete in order to accept the offer (Clicking “I accept” is not enough without also filling out this form).

This form will ask you to complete certain information such as your parents names, your passport number, NIE number (if you’ve worked in Spain before), your DNI number (if you are Spanish), and copies of those documents.

STEP 2: Finalizing Contract Offer

Once you submit the form mentioned above you will be sent an email asking you to upload certain documents in order to finalize your contract offer.

This form will ask you to attach the following:

The details of how you will be arriving to the area (flight details, trains, times needing to be picked up)
A copy of your criminal reference check (See here for more information)

Once you’ve uploaded everything then you are officially contracted!!