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Sign-on bonus: Do I really have to pay it back?

  • Thread starter Thread starter vickys
  • Start date Start date

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V

vickys

Guest
Six months ago I changed jobs to a better position with a national company. It promised of better pay, career advancement, and a nice sign on bonus. The job turned out to be a nightmare. My boss, a nice guy in the interview, turned out to be a complete jerk! Four months into the job they started talking about a 40% workforce reduction. After six months of working there I decided I could not manage the stress for another six months. I consider myself a professional person and did not want to be in this type of environment. I also could not afford to be layed off. Layoffs are normally determined by seniority which I didn't have. The effect it was having on my emotional and physical well-being was not worth it. I am in the computer technical field and was able to find another job in Texas fairly easily. Am I legally required to pay back this sign-on bonus? I signed an employement agreement and a letter saying I would pay it back if I terminated in less than a year. (I didn't think the job would be this unbearable.) The repayment letter was signed after I received the bonus. Do I really have to pay back this bonus? Can they hold my last paycheck as partial payment? (10,000 bonus)
 


L

loku

Guest
Sign on bonus

If the bonus was part of the employment agreement and there was no ambiguity about it, then the repaymet letter, which you signed after receiving the bonus is PROBABLY not valid because they gave you no consideration for it. I say PROBABLY because your rights depend on an interpretation of your employment agreement and the repayment letter. Without seeing the actual documents, no solid determination can be made.
 

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