My wife started a new job with a signed contract that promised her a $4000 sign-on bonus. There were no requirements about how long she had to stay to get the bonus, or anything about paying it back if she left.
She faced a hostile work environment, especially from the owner, and felt pressured to quit after three weeks. The bonus was supposed to be in her first paycheck, but it wasn’t. She mentioned it to the manager before leaving, but they never paid it.
We’re wondering if we can still ask for that $4000. Plus, we spent $7200 renting a place nearby for this job. She’s also waiting on her final paycheck, which should come in the next few days.
You and your wife might actually be in a good spot.
Don’t reach out for the final paycheck right now… they’re supposed to ask you where to send it.
They owe a full day of pay for each day they’re late with that last paycheck. The count starts from her last workday. Say it’s 16 days late… that’s 16 extra days of pay on top of the final check. File a wage complaint with the Department of Labor and include that they didn’t pay the sign-on bonus either.
Be sure to keep on top of any emails, texts, or letters they send about the paycheck. If they can prove you ignored them, it might let them avoid paying extra penalties.
If you don’t need the money right away, let this drag out a bit. It sounds like you already asked for it a few times, right?
Save a signed copy of the contract in multiple spots, like email.
Make sure to include it when you file the wage claim. It’ll definitely help.
@Payne
Hold on… no, that’s not right. In Washington, they have to pay on the next normal payday. They don’t need to track her down for it. If they see she’s purposely delaying to get more money, the Department of Labor might laugh her out of the room.
Jess said:
Was it actually a contract or just an offer letter?
It was something both of them signed.
Are you sure it was a contract? Employment contracts are rare in the U.S. Most of the time, people call it a contract, but it’s really just an offer letter. Contracts have details like termination clauses, arbitration, which state’s laws apply, etc.
Offer letters are just general outlines for pay, benefits, and reporting. They’re more like a ‘welcome’ document than a binding contract.
Jess said:
Was it actually a contract or just an offer letter?
It was something both of them signed.
If it was a real contract with start and end dates and terms for ending, wouldn’t she be in violation for leaving early? Does it say anything about either side ending it?
Just asking since real contracts aren’t too common.