lifes dissappointments
I work for a small start-up. The VP and the COO promised $X of relocation money. After submitting my expense report and following up via email, voicemail, and in-person conversation, over the last three months with the admin, the controller, my boss, my boss's boss (the VP)--who personally informed me of the relocation package--I have been stonewalled and have been not paid my relocation. The VP told me he discussed my relocation with the COO, too, so my offer was approved at a very high level in the company. Since then I have another offer pending to my home city, state; however I really like the work at my current position and see it as instrumental to my future career growth. I don't want to beg or threaten, as I think if I have to do that on a simple issue as this, that I will have to do even more (if it's possible) about more pressing issues. Should I just chock this up as a loss? Did you get an offer letter that included the relocation agreement? Was there an agreed to amount? Was there specific expenses that were to be covered? I hate to say it but if this relocation package was all verbal you have nothing to stand on. Generally, if there is going to be a relo package included with an offer the company provides relocation that is spelled out in the offer letter. Depending upon the size of the company they will, within the offer letter or subsequent documents tell you exactly what is covered and the total amount that is covered. In the last two relocations that I did the specific amount that the company agreed to pay was put on a pre-paid credit card in my name. I was provided with house hunting, corporate discounts for household moving, corporate housing discounts during the transition, home purchase (points paid) and home sales (some costs paid). Any monies I didn' t spend on the pre-paid card specifically on my move were mine to keep and spend as I wanted.
Unfortunately no. I did accept a certain amount $Y but then turned down the offer when they were not willing to renegotiate in light of a better offer. At the last minute the hiring manager called and rengotiated to the higher amont $X, but I took the verbal agreement without getting anything in writing. I now have an offer from another company pending and am wondering if I should just take it and leave this current position seeing that they have given me no indication after 3 months that they are going to pay the relocation. My guess would be that as a start-up they don' t have the money, but that' s beside the point. If I were you, I' d go to the COO again and politely make the point that he/she told you that you were promised $X relocation reimbursement and, while you don' t want to make a pest of yourself, you' d really appreciate it if they could honor that promise to reimburse your relocation expenses in the amount agreed upon. I think you can be pleasant about it, but still make the point. Then, before quitting, see what happens. Depending on a variety of other factors, I wouldn' t necessarily quit over this issue, particularly if this company is still in start-up mode and they really can' t afford to reimburse you yet. You need to find out who can actually sign the check. Go ask him what' s the hold up. Once you identify the guilty, give him an a $ $ whup' in! Remind the rest of them that you know where they live, where they park their car, etc. Start carrying around a four foot two by four as a walking stick. Verbal agreements are legal, remind them of this. Was this last year, claim it on 2006 Federal tax. Don' t start any job whether its temporary, contact and especially permanent without a written employee agreement.. Being "At Will," does only give you few a options. Never trust anyone anymore, sorry. Maybe the employer can deliver after a performance review, being a new company? I would add, however, that if they come clean with you and tell you they simply don' t have the cash flow at the moment to give you your relo monies, that you then ask for an agreement in writing as to when they will pay that--either some set period of time, or on some financial benchmark the company achieves within a certain timeframe. Again, it may not be enforceable, but you would have it in the event it continues to be an issue. And, yes, verbal contracts can be enforced, under certain conditions. But it can be very difficult. You ultimately have to decide if this job is worth staying at, even without the relo money. If it were me, I' d probably quit--I would not want to work for a company who would do this--unless they were upfront about addressing the issue and saying, for example, they just weren' t in a position to do so right now. But apparently your requests are simply being ignored, and you are not getting any answers. That is no way to treat an employee! Wow, I can not believe what I am reading. If you were hired by a company ont he verbal understanding that you could land XYZ account within a month of coming onboard generating X revenues, and then after three months failed to do it...um, they would FIRE YOU. You need to FIRE them. Run, and fast. Then after you are in your new jobs, hire an attorney and sue them. TRUST me I have worked for a few start-ups in my day and this is a VERY BAD SIGN. Not having the cash is not an excuse. Thier mouths should not be writing checks their asses can not cash. What amazes me most about this, is that you have let this go on for three months. I'm sorry but you should have gotten your reimbursement no later than two weeks after you submitted your expense reports. Just out of curiosity, just how much money are we talking about here? Are we talking, moving company, plane fare, storage rental, temporary housing while a real estate deal closed, realtor fees? What sort of amount are we talking about? 1. Never trust an employer who highly spices the offer just to get you on board. It is my experience this almost NEVER works out. It SEEMS nice, but almost inevitably there's a "catch". ALSO>>>>As you say this is a start up, so you think you have a ground floor opportunity, but already they are not keeping thier promises, so what on earth makes you think they would keep any in the future.... AND...did you research the company owners? Have they had star-ups before? Do they deal with investors? Are they an LLC, has anyone stuck their own money on the line or is it all investor capital? Not all START UPS are stand-up.
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Career Tips
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