Your relationship with your employer has definitely not been a match made in heaven. You dislike your boss and the work environment. You wake up every day dreading the whole idea of showing up to work.
Things finally got overwhelming one day and you threatened to quit. Your boss told you they’d sue you if you did because you’re under contract.
Can you get sued for breaking an employment contract?
Before you make any decisions, you need to go over your contract carefully. Because most employers don’t really want someone working for them who doesn’t want to be there, there may be a clause in there that will let you quit after giving a certain amount of notice.
Unfortunately, not every contract will have that kind of “out” clause, so you could be stuck until your contract expires. Otherwise, your employer can actually sue you for damages, like:
- Any financial penalties that your contract stipulates you have to pay for leaving early
- The value of any conditional bonuses you may have already received
- The cost of hiring and training your replacement
- The value of any revenue your employer may have lost due to your departure
You can also run into problems with nondisclosure and noncompete agreements in your contract if you try to hop to another employer in the area or field right away.
Are you simply stuck in a job you hate?
The odds are high that your employer isn’t any happier with the situation than you are, so don’t assume that you’re out of options. Take your employment contract to an experienced attorney and let them help you understand your options.
