Boss fires employee and gives them $1000 for moving costs, demands money back when they file for unemployment: 'He thought the $1000 would be enough until I found a new job'

An employee was fired from their job while they were in the process of moving house, so their manager decided on a whim to give them $1000 to help with moving costs while they were out of work. After this, they also decided to file for unemployment as they looked for another job.

Their former boss took issue with this, and when he found out about the unemployment, he demanded that they give him back the $1000. The employee didn't feel like this was a fair deal, and they sought out advice on how to deal with what they viewed as an unreasonable demand.

My boss is telling me to pay him back after firing me.

_{Impressive_Subject30}

A couple months ago, I was fired from my job, I was getting ready to move in to a new house with some of my close friends, to make bills and living cheaper on all of us. My old boss knew I was moving into a new home, and decided that he would give me and extra $1000 for moving expenses, I didn’t sign anything for the extra money nor did I make any deals for that 1000.

A couple months later he texts me out of the blue asking if I filed for unemployment, which I did. Then he proceeds to pressure me into stop filing for it because he thought the 1000 dollars would be enough for me to hold myself off until I found a new job. Of course I told him it’s impossible for me to do such while I’m still searching for a job, as well as paying for groceries and bills.

Finally he tells me I either pay him back and keep my unemployment, or I take myself off of said unemployment. I haven’t texted him back and wanted to seek advice about the legal ramifications about all of this before anything. Any and all information helps! Thank you!

Arguably, no boss or company should be giving out money that they expect to see again when dealing with employees who no longer work for them. If they already felt the need to fire them for whatever reason, it is unlikely that they are going to be happy to pay back any of that cash that they probably need. Unless there is legal recourse to be made against them, it is unwise to start dealing out empty threats. Either way, it is extremely bad practice.

Finally he tells me I either pay him back and keep my unemployment, or I take myself off of said unemployment.

Or else he'll do what, exactly? There's no agreement to pay back the $1k, so attempting to sue you to recover it won't bear any fruit for him.

_BachRodham

Not a lawyer. He is retaliating for you getting unemployment. He knows you got it because he pays premiums into the system and gets a report.

The 1k sounds like a bribe. If he literally gave it to you, with no documentation, texts, emails, receipts, nothing to say that it was a bonus, loan, or business expense, then it is a gift or it is a bribe. You getting unemployment means his rates goes up. How much? Don't know. But every claim that is approved raises the rates. It's a financial deterant.

He can sue you. Anyone can sue anyone. In small claims court, it would be he said vs you said and you would probably come out on top.

_{Infinite-Ambassador5}

You have everything he said in texts? He can't tell you he won't give you unemployment, but he's dumb for texting all this to you. Because you have all this as proof

_{Beach_bum8}

Your boss thinks that $1000 was severance. Nowhere in America is that a reasonable sum to prevent a person from filing for unemployment. You thought he was being generous. He was being a scumbag.

If it were me, I’d tell him that I appreciate the gift, but it doesn’t nearly cover my needs at this time.

You definitely have no obligation to repay it, but if you want to, wait until you are settled in your new home and job. Then maybe send a letter with a check to thank him for his “generosity”.

_{Zealousideal-Park778}