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Hello,
I have received a letter threatening to sue me for breach of contract. The letter comes with a schedule
of (greatly exaggerated) losses for thousands of GBP they claim to have incurred in hiring the offices
to interview me at, adding me to Payroll, etc..
Background:
I had attended a job interview for the position as a computer programmer for a start-up
company in the information security area.
On recieving the contract, I signed it with a digital signature. I then realised basic information
was missing, such as Job title, salary, flexibility in working from home (as discussed in the interview).
They then sent me a revised copy of the contract, which I again signed and returned to them.
The contract did not set a start date, and we negotiated this. In the interview, I explained to them
I wasn't able to start until mid February because I was finalising details on my PhD. They set a
start date earlier and asked me to go for a week long induction before the start date.
I explained that was not possible, and would be able to start at another later date in February, and
that any induction should be after my start date. (I had not the time due to finalising my PhD,
nor did I wish to bear the expense of attending a week of induction, which was likely to involve
me working unpaid).
We then agreed for me to start on the later date. I was then asked to come in for 1 half day
before that time, and I agreed.
Prior to attending, I noticed other basic information missing from the contract such as
Employer's address, Job description, offices where I would be expected to work (they
mentioned offices at another location in the interview, but this was different to the
original place they said there offices were, and this was were I was asked to go for the
induction). I emailed them the night before to request these details be sorted out
prior to me starting.
During the visit to them, they became defensive about me bringing up the issues with the contract.
When I said, I've never seen a contract lacking such basic information, one said "OK, print out
a previous contract and we'll use that", which I felt inappropriate.
On returning later that day, I emailed to say that given the events with them I would not be
starting with them. I did not trust their ability to be honest and pay me at the end of the month
had I start. The contract had a 2 week notice period, but I emailed them the next day
approximately 10 days before the due start date (which was agreed by email and not on the contract).
I felt the company were providing me with very little details (under the guise that due to the nature
of their work they couldn't discuss it fully initially). I also felt that they were likely to use me
to produce work within the initial weeks without paying me. I already wrote a reasonably long piece
of coding for their coding test, which was related to an area they work in.
I was suspiscious of their practices given they had expected me to attend different offices for a
whole week at my own expense, before my start date. I suspected they did not actually have the funds
to pay my salary, and if I were not paid for work done, my contract had very little information
(not even their company address) -- they merely hired an office to conduct my interview.
Yet now, they are threatening to sue me for breach of contract to get money out of me. I feel like
I have been tricked into this position, either to do work on a flimsy contract, or to be sued for
breach of it. I do understand my mistake of signing the contract before properly reading it.
What can I do?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
I have received a letter threatening to sue me for breach of contract. The letter comes with a schedule
of (greatly exaggerated) losses for thousands of GBP they claim to have incurred in hiring the offices
to interview me at, adding me to Payroll, etc..
Background:
I had attended a job interview for the position as a computer programmer for a start-up
company in the information security area.
On recieving the contract, I signed it with a digital signature. I then realised basic information
was missing, such as Job title, salary, flexibility in working from home (as discussed in the interview).
They then sent me a revised copy of the contract, which I again signed and returned to them.
The contract did not set a start date, and we negotiated this. In the interview, I explained to them
I wasn't able to start until mid February because I was finalising details on my PhD. They set a
start date earlier and asked me to go for a week long induction before the start date.
I explained that was not possible, and would be able to start at another later date in February, and
that any induction should be after my start date. (I had not the time due to finalising my PhD,
nor did I wish to bear the expense of attending a week of induction, which was likely to involve
me working unpaid).
We then agreed for me to start on the later date. I was then asked to come in for 1 half day
before that time, and I agreed.
Prior to attending, I noticed other basic information missing from the contract such as
Employer's address, Job description, offices where I would be expected to work (they
mentioned offices at another location in the interview, but this was different to the
original place they said there offices were, and this was were I was asked to go for the
induction). I emailed them the night before to request these details be sorted out
prior to me starting.
During the visit to them, they became defensive about me bringing up the issues with the contract.
When I said, I've never seen a contract lacking such basic information, one said "OK, print out
a previous contract and we'll use that", which I felt inappropriate.
On returning later that day, I emailed to say that given the events with them I would not be
starting with them. I did not trust their ability to be honest and pay me at the end of the month
had I start. The contract had a 2 week notice period, but I emailed them the next day
approximately 10 days before the due start date (which was agreed by email and not on the contract).
I felt the company were providing me with very little details (under the guise that due to the nature
of their work they couldn't discuss it fully initially). I also felt that they were likely to use me
to produce work within the initial weeks without paying me. I already wrote a reasonably long piece
of coding for their coding test, which was related to an area they work in.
I was suspiscious of their practices given they had expected me to attend different offices for a
whole week at my own expense, before my start date. I suspected they did not actually have the funds
to pay my salary, and if I were not paid for work done, my contract had very little information
(not even their company address) -- they merely hired an office to conduct my interview.
Yet now, they are threatening to sue me for breach of contract to get money out of me. I feel like
I have been tricked into this position, either to do work on a flimsy contract, or to be sued for
breach of it. I do understand my mistake of signing the contract before properly reading it.
What can I do?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
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