Breaking A Contract............

[karthick1985]

Iam working as a pilot for an airline company in india....i had paid for my type rating and also signed a bond for a period of 5 years or 60 thousand dollars .I know it is stupid but had no choice coz of the current global market crash as there were too many takers.By the way the training on the dornier 228-201 cost me around 33,000 dollars.Wanted to just build enough time on the dornier turbo props and move out of the company .Is it possible in any way to break the contract and move on in less than 5 years without having to pay 60 thousand dollars as i feel the contract doesn't hold any value.....thanx........

[captjns]

Check to see of the terms and conditions of your contract prorate the bond. But you really need to consult with an attorney who is familiary with both Indian and your home country's law concerning contracts.

Oh by the way if you break your contract, good luck on the 10 year employment verification from this company.

[Bealzebub]

It is a contact. You should read it now, even if you didn't before? You say you didn't have a choice when you signed it? If the other party was putting you under undue duress or unlawfully threatening you in some way, then in many jurisdictions the contract could be deemed unfair and unlawful. However if you felt impatient or impetuous then that is not the case, and you would be as well to either satisfy the contract or seek negotiation.

If you cannot satisfy the contract, then you probably have 3 choices. You can sit down with the employer and lay your cards on the table. If you are a good negotiater you may be able to arrive at a compromise that ultimately fails to totally satisfy either party, but allows you to move on at a reduced cost, or with less notice. Secondly you can seek independent legal advice with a view to escaping the terms of the contract. Thirdly you can default. The final choice is yours, but it is worth remembering that the aviation world is a fairly small one, and your reputation and history will tend to follow you wherever you go. References are often important in securing new employment. Employers will also tend towards the employees they perceive as responsible, trustworthy, sensible, mature and honourable.

The contract may therefore hold a great deal more value than you think.

[FCS Explorer]

maybe each of those five years is "worth" 12k U$D, so if you've done 3 years u might get away with paying 24K..... (just an idea)

[DB6]

Alternatively you could work the contract, do the best you can, get promoted, become a captain, maybe a training captain, and leave with 5 years' experience and some HONOUR and INTEGRITY (look them up).

[Mister Geezer]

Alternatively you could work the contract, do the best you can, get promoted, become a captain, maybe a training captain, and leave with 5 years' experience and some HONOUR and INTEGRITY

I understand those points of view DB6 but this game, as you well know, can be very ruthless at times. Any airline - no matter how warm and cuddly they may be, will shaft their employees if needs must and times are hard. Therefore turning the table round, the employee might need to adopt the same harsh approach to ensure survival!

Contracts in foreign countries for expatriates can make employment law in the UK look easy. In some cases, packing your bags and going unannounced can often be the only easy way of leaving a company.

[rubik101]

If they don't hold the money then you can leave, just don't ask to come back any time. Training bonds are like indenture, illegal in most countires as its akin to slavery.