How do you pay your sign-on bonus back?

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in Tele/ICU/MedSurg/Peds/SubAcute/LTC/Alz.

I know that eventually I will have to pay an estimated amount of the sign-on bonus they gave me to get here. But, I don't remember signing anything with detail.

I am worried about my last paycheck. Can they just take the whole thing? What about taxes, they took at least 40%? How will this work?

The place I worked at was very unprofessional and it became a hostile work environment. There was no way I could stay there and take care of patients. Guess you could say I learned my lesson with signing bonuses.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

You'll have to talk to your former employer. Different employers do it in different ways. Yes, they might take your entire last check. They may also expect you to pay them immediately and turn the matter over to a collections agency if you don't (and hurt your credit score, etc.) Do not delay in talking with them. You want to leave on good terms so they are nice to you about how you will pay them the money you owe them.

Call them now. Don't make enemies you don't have to make -- particularly when you legally owe them money.

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Specializes in Tele/ICU/MedSurg/Peds/SubAcute/LTC/Alz.

Oh well, and my life goes on...

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Specializes in Tele/ICU/MedSurg/Peds/SubAcute/LTC/Alz.

Does anyone have a copy of the law for this? I can't seem to find it.

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I'm guessing there is no specific law for paying back a sign on bonus. It would fall under contract law and you'd be binded by the contract you signed with the facility. Whatever they put in the contract you signed would be the law unless they also created a breach in which case you might have a case for court. If they have complied with the contract and you didn't then you own them whatever remedy is in the contract.

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Specializes in Tele/ICU/MedSurg/Peds/SubAcute/LTC/Alz.

I didn't sign a contract about paying it back. The document I signed just has the amount of the bonus I would get and shift differentials.

I am just very worried, because I need my last check. My family is out East and I have no way to get back home. I might become homeless.

But, I guess I won't find out until midnight when my direct deposit goes in.

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Specializes in ER, PACU, Med-Surg, Hospice, LTC.

If you didn't sign a contract regarding paying back the bonus (for whatever reason....), then I wouldn't think you would have to pay it back!

I guess your employer could ask for the money back on an 'honor system' basis, but without any type of legal and binding written contract, I don't see how they could legally get the money, let alone doing it by withholding your paycheck!

Withholding a paycheck sounds illegal, but then again, I don't know anything the law regarding this topic.

Double-check all of the paperwork you signed prior to being hired. Also, call the HR department and just ask them if the facility has a right to withhold an employee's paycheck.

Good luck!

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Specializes in Neuro, Cardiology, ICU, Med/Surg.

I agree with I LOVE MY CAT. Check your offer letter and other paperwork. If there were strings attached to the sign-on bonus it should be spelled out. I got a sign-on bonus at a software job I had and never had to pay it back. I worked there for 11 months. My life situation changed and I would have had a 60+ mile commute each way. So I left the job. Nobody told me I had to give them the money back. As to how "nice" it is to leave when given a sign-on bonus, it depends on how long you've worked there. But that's a matter of whether or not you're burning bridges rather than legal obligation.

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Specializes in Tele/ICU/MedSurg/Peds/SubAcute/LTC/Alz.

No they didn't give me my last paycheck.

To readers don't take a sign on bonus, it isn't worth it. Or, maybe I am just unlucky.

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Specializes in NICU.

Usually the offer of a big sign on bonus is a big RED FLAG. There is a reason they are having to offer incentives to get people to work there, as they can't retain staff.

I hope you can get this all worked out without too much of a headache. Good luck to you.

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Specializes in Tele/ICU/MedSurg/Peds/SubAcute/LTC/Alz.

Thanks, everyone for the advice.

Looks like I will have another enemy after all. So I went ahead and called my attorney and labor board. Come to find out they aren't suppose to take out the money, without permission or signature. Calling HR, didn't get me anywhere. Waiting for a call from there corporate HR, to see if I can rectify it.

I wonder if this happened to me as well, because it is not a union state? Now I deeply appreciated the nurses where I come from for fighting for what type of work environments that I worked in and the professionalism.

Not going to state where this was or where I was from. Did that before, and it turned into a big "stick up" game.

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