Sign on bonus

[wendt80]

What is the name of your state? CA

I've been at my job for two weeks and they haven't paid my $5000 sign on bonus which I should receive after employment, per my signed offer letter. I am accepting another job and need to terminate employment with this company after only two weeks. Am I still entitled to this sign on amount? Nowhere in the handbook is there anything referencing a sign on bonus and my offer letter states nothing regarding any sign on bonus payback if I don't work for a certain amount of time. Thanks!

 

[pattytx]

Unless your offer letter rises to the level of a valid, enforceable employment contract, which you would have to have an attorney review to advise you, probably not.

And come on, realistically, you expect a company to pay you a sign-on bonus of $5K when you only worked two weeks? Unless there are some other details that you didn't post, (and even if there are) that is absolutely ridiculous.

 

[wendt80]

My offer letter specifically says that it is NOT a contract of any sorts (I'm paraphrasing). I know what I THINK might happen or what the company will say in this situation, but I need to KNOW the answer to my question. What I'm curious to know is that the offer letter basically says, "We'll pay you $xxxxx/per month with a one time sign on bonus of $xxxx." If the company says they won't give me the money for the sign on bonus, what's to stop them from asking for my salary money back as well?

 

[BelizeBreeze]

What is the name of your state? CA

I've been at my job for two weeks and they haven't paid my $5000 sign on bonus which I should receive after employment, per my signed offer letter. I am accepting another job and need to terminate employment with this company after only two weeks. Am I still entitled to this sign on amount? Nowhere in the handbook is there anything referencing a sign on bonus and my offer letter states nothing regarding any sign on bonus payback if I don't work for a certain amount of time. Thanks!

NO COMPANY is going to pay you to quit after two weeks.

you've GOT to be on drugs.

And no, they are under no obligation to adhere to an offer letter. It does NOT rise to the level of a valid contract.

 

[wendt80]

The question is not "Can I still get the money" it is "What is the law regarding a signing bonus".

Allow me to reiterate: Why is it legal for the company to NOT be obligated to pay a signing bonus? Can a company ask for a signing bonus back after someone has worked for a tenure of, let's say, 5 years? From what I've heard from people, without any hard facts, is that it's pretty easy for a company to get their signing bonus back. Are there any laws regarding this? Also, if asking for a signing bonus back is so easy, why can't a company ask for the salary back too? If what I'm hearing is correct, an offer letter isn't a valid contract, then a company never has to pay the salary stated in the offer letter either, right?

 

[BelizeBreeze]

The question is not "Can I still get the money" it is "What is the law regarding a signing bonus".

Now you're just downright lying.

Am I still entitled to this sign on amount?

That was your question. Nowhere in your post did you ask about the law.

Allow me to reiterate: Why is it legal for the company to NOT be obligated to pay a signing bonus? Can a company ask for a signing bonus back after someone has worked for a tenure of, let's say, 5 years? From what I've heard from people, without any hard facts, is that it's pretty easy for a company to get their signing bonus back. Are there any laws regarding this? Also, if asking for a signing bonus back is so easy, why can't a company ask for the salary back too? If what I'm hearing is correct, an offer letter isn't a valid contract, then a company never has to pay the salary stated in the offer letter either, right?

What are you 12? I suggest you go back and read your offer letter. IT IS NOT A CONTRACT.

 

[pattytx]

There is no employment law regarding sign-on bonuses and the "right" to them. The reason they don't have to pay you is that you did not have a valid, enforceable contract. They can't take your wages back because you are legally entitled to them. The Dept. of Labor doesn't give a rat's a$$ about your sign-on bonus.

Get over it. Anybody with a lick of sense is gonna know that they aren't going to get a signing bonus when they quit after only two weeks. Sheesh.

 

[cbg]

If the company says they won't give me the money for the sign on bonus, what's to stop them from asking for my salary money back as well?

Because the law says that they can't, that's why. Your salary for the work you did is guaranteed to you by law. Your sign-on bonus is not guaranteed to you by any law, only by contract, and by your own words you did not have a contract. Therefore the sign-on bonus is not guaranteed.

 

[wendt80]

I apologize for using words like "entitled" and "obligated". They appear to have altered the tone of my initial question and things have gotten misconstrued. I would like to thank cbg for sending me the answer I was actually looking for. I think my reiteration helped. As a follow up, if what I'm hearing is correct, legally, can a company go months/years without ever paying a signing bonus? And on the flip side, if the signing bonus is paid out right away, can a company legally ask for a signing bonus back if someone leaves after a 5 year tenure? Thanks!

 

[pattytx]

The terms of a signing bonus are specified in the agreement. If it says the employee owes it all (or a portion of it) back after XX period of time, then that's the agreement. This is a done deal.