Terminating a contract, Do I have to pay them back??

I'd call the HR department and ask about it. Better to contact them first then having them calling you.

I'm so sorry you are going through this, a really rough situation.

But I'm a little confused about the amount of time you worked there and also about why you aren't eligible for COBRA. And also, did they pay you out $6000 as a bonus when you signed on? Or were you signed on to work a specific amount of time? Why are they saying you have to pay them back?

I agree that you should talk to HR about it, but the bottom line is that you can't get blood from a stone, and they may just let the whole thing go rather than going through all the mess of trying to get that money back. The most important thing to focus on right now is getting better.

It's a sad state of affairs that someone who is going through what you are going through also has to worry about financial retaliation from an employer.

I hope that you can inform yourself about this and then find a way to put it on the back burner until you get well.

Best wishes, I hope that the coming year is better for you.

Thank you all for the responses, I have called HR twice this week and am awaiting a response.

Mazy: I worked there for a total of 2 1/2 months, I had an 8 week orientation and I had been on my own for two weeks. They didnt pay me any sign on bonus or anything, but in return for their paying for my orientation I was to give them 2 years of employment, and if I quit or went to part time I would pay them back 6 thousand.

When I spoke to the HR department about my benefits they told me that I would keep them until my PTO ran out, which went pretty fast since I didnt have much to begin with. I've never heard of COBRA, is it a type of disability insurance? I was able to readd myself to my husbands insurance plan but we had to pay around 400 extra a month for me and the kids. I was lucky because with my employer my insurance was free for all of us.

Thank you for the kind words, I hope that I will be eligible for re-employment when I get well. I am working my booty off in PT so hopefully it wont take the 4-5 months like they are thinking.

If the contract states you have to pay it if you quit or go to part time, and you did neither, I cannot imagine them asking you to pay it back. You are physically unable to work, and if I understand correctly they terminated you. Thus, I would think they ended the contract, not you. Focus on getting better and try not to stress about this.

I quit a job with a similar contract and never heard a word from them about paying anything back.

Thank you Purple_Scrubs, that really gives me hope:D

They have not contacted me to collect so I hope that they are going to end the contract on their terms. That would be an enormous blessing (aside from losing the job) and a burden off my shoulders.

Bless you all for responding to my post.

PurpleScrubs also has a good point. If you were terminated and did not quit of your own volition, I don't think they have a right to go after that money. They are the ones who terminated the contract.

At any rate, re COBRA.

It is Federal Law that anyone working and paying for health insurance in a facility with more than 20 employees has the right to continue participating in those group health benefits for 18 months after leaving the job, if they pay the full amount of the premium, and if they have not been terminated by the facility.

I'm not sure how long you have to be an employee to be eligible. But it sounds like you were fortunate enough to get on your husband's plan and COBRA probably would have cost the same amount.

At any rate, for future reference here is the COBRA web site:

U.S. Department of Labor - Find It By Topic - Health Plans & Benefits - Continuation of Health Coverage - COBRA

Hopefully HR contacts you, that you could be rehired upon completion of PT

Do you have a copy of your contract with you that spells it out? I know when I interviewed for a company they had a similar contract, us interviewees were allowed to look over the contract and it spelled it out for almost every possibilty of job termination before the contract was up.

I think as others have stated, they terminated you from your position you through no fault of your own. Did your auto insurance cover any of this or the other divers insurance cover you for loss of wages?

purplescrubs also has a good point. if you were terminated and did not quit of your own volition, i don't think they have a right to go after that money. they are the ones who terminated the contract.

at any rate, re cobra.

it is federal law that anyone working and paying for health insurance in a facility with more than 20 employees has the right to continue participating in those group health benefits for 18 months after leaving the job, if they pay the full amount of the premium, and if they have not been terminated by the facility.

i'm not sure how long you have to be an employee to be eligible. but it sounds like you were fortunate enough to get on your husband's plan and cobra probably would have cost the same amount.

at any rate, for future reference here is the cobra web site:

u.s. department of labor - find it by topic - health plans & benefits - continuation of health coverage – cobra

according to the faq's of cobra found in the link above, your statement above is incorrect.

"

qualifying events for employees:

• voluntary or involuntary termination of employment for reasons other than gross misconduct
  
• reduction in the number of hours of employment