Enquiry on RA Wages
From: Grace Chew <gclchew@yahoo.co.uk>
Reply-To: Vietnam Studies Group <vsg@u.washington.edu>
To: Vietnam Studies Group <vsg@u.washington.edu>
Date: Mon, Mar 3, 2008 at 6:57 PM
Dear List:
I would like to know what is the usual amount paid to
a Vietnamese Research Assistant who will help to look
for materials in the Vietnamese language? This person
will not need to interpret/translate, but he/she has
to work independently. This will not be a permanent
position.
I am looking forward to hearing from you on this
matter. Any advice will be appreciated.
Best wishes,
Grace
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From: Sidel, Mark <mark-sidel@uiowa.edu>
Reply-To: Vietnam Studies Group <vsg@u.washington.edu>
To: Vietnam Studies Group <vsg@u.washington.edu>
Date: Mon, Mar 3, 2008 at 8:51 PM
Attachments: winmail.dat
Please post answers to the list - an issue of interest to many of us, I would think.... Mark Sidel
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From: Grace Chew <gclchew@yahoo.co.uk>
Reply-To: Vietnam Studies Group <vsg@u.washington.edu>
To: Vietnam Studies Group <vsg@u.washington.edu>
Date: Mon, Mar 3, 2008 at 10:40 PM
Dear Phuong,
Thank you for prompt response with the estimate.
I have pasted your answer below for Mark's interest,
and I hope you won't mind that.
I will specify the job scope here:
(1) No supervision from the person assigning the job;
thus, there is no minimum number of hours he/she has
to put in a day but results are expected.
(2)No trips out of the city, in this case, Ha Noi.
(3)Visits to the national library and certain
institutes are required.
(4) The RA has to arrange his/her own transport within
the city.
(5)No overseas calls required-only internet
communication.
(6)Fees for photocopying will be covered separately.
(7) Pick-up for the materials will be confirmed later.
What would the monthly wage be like?
Best,
grace
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Dear Grace,
I think it varies depending on your specific
requirements and the work environment. For example, if
you ask him to go to the national library and search
for a specific topic, then it would be very easy. Of
course, it also depends on how hard your work is ( I
meant about the deadline for obtaining documents
needed). You can figure out the amount as follows:
1. Per diem: 20 USD per day (8 hours working). It
would be cheaper if you can find a volunteer
(student?) (In Vietnam only)
2. Transportation, communication (telephone),
accommodation (if any for trip?), fees for obtaining
or copying materials
Hope it helps.
Best regards,
Le Xuan Phuong Ph.D.
Lecturer
Forestry University of Vietnam
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From: Le Xuan Phuong <phuong.lexuan@gmail.com>
Reply-To: Vietnam Studies Group <vsg@u.washington.edu>
To: Vietnam Studies Group <vsg@u.washington.edu>
Date: Mon, Mar 3, 2008 at 11:20 PM
Dear Grace,
Thank you for your clarification. Personally, I think the salary of 300 USD per month would be fine since this kind of work is just part-time job with no health and social insurances (Right?).
Best regards,
Phuong
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From: rowens@uga.edu <rowens@uga.edu>
Reply-To: Vietnam Studies Group <vsg@u.washington.edu>
To: Vietnam Studies Group <vsg@u.washington.edu>
Date: Tue, Mar 4, 2008 at 7:24 AM
I have heard that $15 per day was acceptable. However, I believe this also when the assistant lives in the same region.
-----------------------------
Richard Owens, doctoral student
Department of Anthropology
Baldwin Hall
University of Georgia
Athens, GA 30602
rowens@uga.edu
When we are born, we find it there; all that we eat comes from it; what we excrete goes back to it; and when we die we return to it. It feeds us and it swallows us-Kanyamkago description of land as a magician.
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From: Thilde Rheinländer <t.rheinlaender@pubhealth.ku.dk>
Reply-To: Vietnam Studies Group <vsg@u.washington.edu>
To: Vietnam Studies Group <vsg@u.washington.edu>
Date: Tue, Mar 4, 2008 at 7:48 AM
According to EU/UN-financed research programmes, salary rates for hiring local staff in research programmes are set between 20-30 dollars, depending on the qualifications (academic level) and duration of previous work experience (years); (22.3 USD per day for those who has a bacherlor degree with 2-5 yr experience and 31.1 USD per day for those with a bachelor degree (6-10 yr experience) or master degree (2-5 yr experience).
These are the EU/UN standard rates for qualified staff in research programmes and they are comparatively very high for local staff - employees hired by local institutions are not getting this amount of money, which makes is highly attractive to be hired by foreign researchers. Many would also agree to do this work for 15 USD - especially since it is part time and not very demanding, and not involving travel time or translation.
Regards,
Thilde
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From: Grace Chew <gclchew@yahoo.co.uk>
Reply-To: Vietnam Studies Group <vsg@u.washington.edu>
To: Vietnam Studies Group <vsg@u.washington.edu>
Date: Wed, Mar 5, 2008 at 7:28 PM
Thank you, Richard and Thilde.
Also many thanks, Stephen, for the collection name.
I've got the document with the help of your kind
assistant archivist. But I still encounter technical
problems while accessing the resources at my end.
Appreciation to all,
Grace
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