Training Bonds
 

Has anyone out there managed to escape a training bond and leave their company without paying. Are these bonds legal and can the company persue you for payment?

Depends where you are - yes they are legal and the company can pursue you for repayment in most countries.

That being said its not unknown for somebody to just disappear without paying back the bond - especially where the company is in the ME or Asia.

For a few years I thought I knew someone who got away with it in UK - but it turned out he just got two companies to swap bonds - the company he moved to paid for the bond and then bonded him to them on an initial contract.
He still made a smart move though!

Am aware of a couple of guys in the UK after a widebody type course left but didnt refuse to pay, just said they had no money so offered to pay it off at £5 per month . Never heard another word apparently !!!

I queried a bond for my current company when they expected me to sign after a type rating course back in Jan this year, eventually it was decided that the bond wasnt legal so it was never signed.
AC:ok:

Out here..There have been both situations.
Majority of persons have not paid,but if the new employer insists on an NOC from the employee of its previous job,it gets difficult.
regds
MEL

Heard a story from a guy who did not pay his bond. Some nice men from a debt collection agency turned up at his house whilst he was away. His wife got a fright, he got his ears bashed from her and they ended up paying the bond and the agency " collection " fees.

The problem of not paying the bond is do you require a reference for your new job from the company you have not paid the bond to.

I've just paid off a bond on a course I did at the begining of the year.The industry is to small to piss people off.Is a couple of grand worth missing out on a lot more in the future and getting a bad reputation.Still may years ago working abroad I did just leave with out pay a bond.Cant go back there,never mind.Its been 17 years and they aint cought up with me yet.