

Signing bonus that you only after x months of work, is this normal? - geicogecko

I was under the impression that a signing bonus was given to you as soon as you started the job. But I just got a job offer where the sign on bonus is only available to me after 2-3 months, with the additional specification that if I quit or am fired within a year I have to pay it back to them.<p>I just wanted to know ... is this normal?
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NonEUCitizen
You should insist that the "pay it back to them":

1\. only applies if you quit, not if they fire you

2\. be pro-rata -- i.e. if you quit after 9 months, you only pay back
(12-9)/12 = 1/4 of the bonus

With the above, you can also ask (not necessarily insist), that they pay you
the bonus now, or by the next paycheck.

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AutomatedTester
This is very common as some companies don't want to you disappear within 3
months of joining because they have spent a lot of money hiring you.

The year part of it is to make sure that they have "made back" their signing
bonus.

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michael_dorfman
Yes, that's not unusual.

Were you really planning on taking the signing bonus, and jumping in less than
a year?

