Legal Question in Employment Law in Virginia
Returning a signing bonus
I received a signing bonus at a new job. The contract said I had to return the bonus if I left before a year. The job ended up being different from what they offered me, so I left after 4 months. They did not ask for the signing bonus at that time. 4 months later (in the new year), they asked me for the bonus -- after already being taxed on it. I sent them a check minus the tax I paid -- as agreed upon by them. After nearly 2 months, they hadn't deposited the check even though they confirmed that they had received the check. It turns out they lost it. They asked me to stop payment on the check and send them another one minus the stop payment fee. Do I need to send them another check even though they lost the one I sent them?
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: Returning a signing bonus
Why, of course, you do, in order to fullfill your part of the agreement.