Repay relocation/sign-on bonus?

[heathern]

What is the name of your state? Iowa

Started new job in January. Offer included $1500 sign-on bonus to help w/ relocation, and also stated "this offer should not be construed as a guarantee of employment for any specific duration". Put in 2 week notice toward end of July; was told that since I hadn't worked a year I needed to repay sign-on bonus. Had not signed anything agreeing to this, but paid the company $100 upon leaving and another $100 this past month. My concern is that I have already paid them $200--would this be considered in a court of law as a non-written agreement that I will repay the sign-on bonus? I still have a copy of the offer letter, and did not sign anything upon my hire with or leaving the company as to repayment of sign-on bonus w/ regard to duration of employment. If the company does not have to agree to a specific employment term, do I? Can I be penalized monetarily for quitting without having prior knowledge of the penalization? Do I need to finish paying the company since I have already started? If not, can I ask for my $200?

 

[Beth3]

If there was no verbal or written agreement that you would have to repay the relocation bonus, you are not obligated to repay them. You may ask for your $200 back, although I wouldn't count on them voluntarily returning the money.

 

[heathern]

I *did* make a verbal agreement with the HR manager to repay, and after I received a letter stating I was delinquent on payments (of which I never received a repayment schedule promised to me verbally), I told her over the phone that I would pay back $150 every 2 weeks until it was paid off. Because I did not sign anything and all communication was made verbally, do I have any type of a case against the company?

 

[StacyLB]

You've put yourself in a tough position by beginning to pay it back--had you never done anything, you *probably* would have been fine.

Try just not paying. Ignore letters and the like unless it sounds as though they will come after you via the legal system. I doubt they will pursue it given the time and expense it will take.

Best of luck!