job offer letterHello All, I got a job offer. During my conversation with the company's VP, I negotiated training opportunities. He promised that company will pay for the membership and conferences for the professional association. As this is a small company, I don't believe this offer is recoreded in company's policy. So can I ask HR to write it down in my offer letter to be the prove once I come on board? Will this offend them? (I already orally accepted the offer) Trust them. They said they would pay for the membership and conferences and they will. Keep quiet about this and do not get off to a bad start. And whatever you do, do not flash them that offer letter and ask them to put anything on it. Why question their honesty and assume the worst? Best of luck with your new job! That is a tough one. If it was a mega corp, I would want it in the offer. A small company things change so fast as in they are riding high one day to the budget is tight. You could call and ask HR if they would put it in the offer. Until that offer is signed by both parties it is not set in stone. I had a buddy that when he got a offer it was like ping pong with the offer letter. He would make notations and send it back. They made changes and sent it back. The same thing happened to me. I was interviewed by 4 people, one of whom was the HR assistant. During the interview, I explained about my professional association and was assured by all 4 people that the company supports employees' memberships. When my membership renewal came up, we sent it to the HR manager, who said it wasn' t a job requirement and wouldn' t pay it. I sent an email to him and the HR assistant, reminding her about our discussion during my interview and said that part of the reason I took the job was because the company would be supportive of my membership. He grudgingly agreed to pay *one time*. When my renewal came up the following year, I talked to my immediate boss who sent it to his boss, who paid it. We completely bypassed HR, which is what I always recommend to people. You can' t "trust" your employer to remember anything that wasn' t written down. Mention it in your acceptance letter (and keep a copy). When you go to him to pay for your membership or conference fees, make sure you have the documentation showing the benefits of your membership, and if any event contains training or education, explain how it will benefit the company for you to do. To paraphrase Yogi Berra, if it ain' t written down, it' s not worth the paper it' s printed on. Although this is somewhat seperate but in the same vein. That offer letter they send you which spells out what they are offering you, SAVE IT. Buy a sealable folder and put in it that a copy of the offer letter and all paper work you sign the first day. Years ago at this one company the offer letter said I work a 35 hours week. A couple years later they said oh the hours are now 40. I didnt save that letter. I don't think you are out of line asking for items to be spelled out in your offer letter. I do agree that what is in your offer letter should be kept confidential. Just because you are told something in an interview does not make it gospel. The interviewer may not realize it's against company policy or just something they don't usually do. Offer letters are meant to spell out your terms of employment which includes membership reimbursement, social clubs, training, bonus, hours and many other items if relevant. By signing your offer letter and returning it you are creating a contract with your employer - would you leave parts of other WRITTEN contracts as ORAL understandings? I work in the employment and labor law field, an offer letter is NOT a contract. All an offer letter does is lay out the basic terms of the job so that ambiguities do not arise later. This also makes it clear that either party can terminate employment when they so choose. I would agree with Bunzo on this one. I wouldn' t pursue the issue of membership fees on the offer letter. I would discuss the issue later with my supervisor once I have accepted the position and have been on board for a bit. I did that in my current position. I asked and received membership dues for a professional organization. I commend you for your negotiating skills, good job! Whether you get it in writing or not it doesn' t mean anything. If "business needs change" and it gets taken off the table, that' s that. | |
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