'[My] signed 20k contract is [...] nowhere to be found': HR informs employee that his signing bonus is $10K instead of promised $20K

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Jul 4, 2024 4:00 PM EDT

Always document everything! There is a reason why you should always keep an electronic and physical copy of any contract you sign with anyone. If that contract is conveniently violated, you should have all the receipts to back you up and to make sure that you are not being used. Furthermore, no matter how kind they might appear, this story will serve as another friendly reminder that the folks in HR are not your friends. They are there to protect the company's interests, and if that means that your interests are affected in any way, then they will blindly do so.

This thread was posted to Reddit by u/billgarrr, who recently signed a nice $20K signing bonus when he was officially hired by the company. His final contract was exchanged through his work email and he didn't keep a personal copy for his records (you can see where this is likely going). After some time on the job, he inquired about that sign-on bonus. During that time, HR changed its system and suspiciously lost all evidence that there even was a signing bonus of that amount. Instead, they offered $10K. We're certain that the employee, who seems to be fresh out of school, feels particularly foolish right now, so while we don't want to make light of his situation, we do want to use this story to reinforce the importance of documenting every little detail so you can properly stand up for yourself.

For more stories like this, check out this post about an employee who was told to do less on the job.

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    via Leon Seibert
  • 02
    Font - Was informed by HR today that my 20k sign on bonus was actually 10k I emailed HR last week after working here for 6 mo to confirm it was a lump sum payout after 2 years (i had already known this through coworkers, but wanted to confirm) and was informed by HR that they don't actually have a signed contract and sent me one to sign for 10k. After responding back stating my original offer and contract, they said the 20k offer was a miscommunication and don't have record of the original contr
    via u/billgarrr
  • 03
    Font - Then I had to push my start date back 3 months which they had no problem with. 3 months later they made me reapply for the position under a different HR system, which I found suspicious. When I reapplied I made it a point to clarify this was the same position I had already signed a contract for with the same sign on bonus of 20k. HR lady said yes and that it was just a technicality because of new system and even updated the new posting to say "20,000 sign on bonus eligible". 6 months late
    via u/billgarrr
  • 04
    Font - The email of me sending back the signed 20k contract is also scrubbed from our employee email and suspiciously no where to be found (which I am very certain I sent).
    via u/billgarrr
  • 05
    Font - Large-Client-6024 17 hr. ago Present them with your copy of the signed contract. You did save a copy of the contract, didn't you? 4.8k Reply Share
    via u/billgarrr
  • 06
    Font - BramStroker47. 12 hr. ago If I signed a contract for a $20,000 bonus I would have a plethora of copies. 2.5k Reply Share
    via u/billgarrr
  • 07
    Font - JGG5 15 hr. ago And that right there is why I BCCed my personal email on every legal document I signed with my employer. 234 Reply Share
    via u/billgarrr
  • 08
    Font - apex-87 14 hr. ago This is the way. I work in IT - anything to do with my employment, HR, legal, I'll always make sure to save a copy to my personal email, cloud storage etc. 91 Reply Share
    via u/billgarrr
  • 09
    Font - Khashishi 17 hr. ago Sounds like you gotta sue them. And if you have communication from them that says that the 20k was a mistake (rather than them just outright denying that it was ever offered) then they are basically just admitting that the agreement did exist. Save these new communications, and next time keep copies of any contracts you sign. 202 Reply Share
    via u/billgarrr
  • 10
    Rectangle - slutty_chungus · 17 hr. ago Just show them the contract, and sue if they don't honor it. Should be pretty simple!
    via u/billgarrr
  • 11
    Font - dsdvbguutres. 16 hr. ago These errors are somehow always to the company's benefit. Interesting.
    via u/billgarrr
  • 12
    Font - schnurble 9 hr. ago Payout after 2 years is not a "sign-on bonus", it's a retention bonus. Sign on bonuses are typically paid out after 30, 60, 90, or 180 days. I'd start looking for a new job regardless, these are shifty f
    via u/billgarrr
  • 13
    Font - Normal-Boss3081. 13 hr. ago Take the new contract, edit it, make it $20k and send it back to them. Here it is, I kept a copy. Sorry you lost yours so I guess you would have no way to know if this was what was actually signed
    via u/billgarrr
  • 14
    Font - Crazycade77 12 hr. ago Never sign anything without a physical copy and a photo copy to keep on record. Documentation is crucial for keeping these scumbags honest
    via u/billgarrr
  • 15
    Font - infrequentflyermiles. 18 hr. ago Dealing with similar. Screenshots? Video grab? Printout? Anything to substantiate your position if you want to pursue this?
    via u/billgarrr
  • 16
    DuckingFon 11 hr. ago First off, they should never send a contract to be signed to your work email, they need to send it to your personal email as it is a contract between you personally and the company. Doing so will also ensure that you have a copy at all times and they can't do shady like scrub it from their company servers. Secondly, save a copy of every legally binding document you ever receive. Keep your receipts because no company is ever going to do it for you.
    via u/billgarrr

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workplace-stories work stories toxic-workplace hired job work toxic-boss human resources workplace reddit thread Reddit toxic-work-environment
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