Legal Question in Employment Law in Louisiana

Boss wants to revoke a salary increase

I have worked for this company for 5 years and practically run the whole show. The working conditions and pay are not the greatest but it does have its advantages. Recently I received an offer for another job that would have given me a slight raise in pay. When I gave the boss my two weeks notice...he countered with a much better offer that almost doubled my current pay and I agreed to stay. One pay period went by without the pay increase, and before the next one ended, I met with him to discuss when I would see the raise. He is now saying that since another employee does not want to relocate to a different office, I won't be getting as much as he originally promised. I feel that he made a deal with me to keep me working for him and now that the other job opportunity has passed me by, he thinks he can go back on the offer. I have decided that if he revokes my raise, this will be the straw to break the camel's back and I will be unable to work for him any longer. What can I do if he refuses to give me his original offer? Was this a binding verbal contract? Can he cut my pay based on the decision of another employee? Any info/advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.


Asked on 5/30/04, 3:13 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
Hardy Parkerson Retired Attorney; now Law Professor

Re: Boss wants to revoke a salary increase

Dear LawGuru Friend,

Sorry about the problem on your job! Judging from the fact you posted your question during the wee hours of the morning, it must be causing you to lose some sleep. Be that as it may, yes, you can enforce your contractual rights; but my guess is that it will take a law-suit to do it, as well as a very good contracts lawyer. The legal issues involved are entited "promissory estoppel" and "detrimental reliance". Get on your search engines and research those two contractul concepts. You relied on the employer's promise, and as a result you suffered to your detriment. The employer caused you to so rely and to so suffer detriment, now he is estopped from not following through with his promise. There is more to it all than this, but this is a beginning. Good luck! Say a prayer, and then start looking for a good lawyer who is knowledgeable and expereinced in contract law and in litigation.

Sincerely,

Hardy Parkerson, Atty.

Lake Charles, LA

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Answered on 5/30/04, 5:43 am


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