Advice On Beating "training Bond" Bs.

[Rosco12]

Any of you guys and gals have any helpful info on beating training bonds / Slavery contracts ?

 

I call it indentured service but in the eye of the courts i'll have to prove it.

 

Thanks everyone... fly safe this winter and heres to a flaming summer ;-)

 

 

[maxtorqe]

Yeah, don't sign one then you won't have to worry about proving it in court....

[R0T0R]

I second that. If your planning on beating it, your not right for the company. I've never had to sign one but I always put in a year per endorsement. If more was due I would talk it out before a blade turned. I am insulted that we have to sign scrap of paper because our word isn't good enough anymore. So sad what people have done to our industry.

 

R

[pilot5]

Advice! I'm full of it so here goes. Although you may have signed something, or given your word to an employer-sounds old fashioned, remember 1 thing.

 

It's a small industry! and leaving any company on any uncertain terms can and will effect your future employment. People talk- " I know that guy we paid for his endorsement and he bailed" this doesn't sit well with anyone. So be carefull.

 

So that being said there are good reasons to bail if things become unbearable, but I would have serious thoughts about pulling the trigger and going back on a promise be it verbal or written.

 

Sometimes it better to stick it out. Personally I have never paid for or been held to type rating but those were different days.

 

Good luck.

 

P5

[skullcap]

I would think negligence would be a way to view an out. My reasoning is that if you are wanting to leave then there must be some reason to do so, this reason or reasons are probably not in writing as to why you should be staying thus there is no discourse to leave. But as all good waivers or contracts they do not apply for negligence so are they negligent in the manner which they conduct the operation? Have a check. Please do not take this the wrong way as have been on the other side of the fence with a few pricks who have done it to the company was at, and that money sure could have been used in a more positive place than given away. There are always two sides to most stories and have never asked anyone to sign one of these for the exact reasons above. But remember the man asking you to sign a contract probably has a boss and a reason. Remember above all else that calling someone negligent is a large bridge built with fuel soaked popsicle sticks and you better be right. So a very calm courteous meeting with few people and the points of view explained and the direction you are going will probably preclude any fan/shyte dispersal unit firing up.

[skullcap]

And with any meeting,,,please do not expect a positive outcome....my experience has shown me the more I expect something from a meeting the more am displeased with nothing happens. The larger the decision the least likely anything will happen right then and there. Expect to exchange points of view, explain what you see as a positive outcome and what will probably happen if a negative outcome and leave it at that. Decide upon a date which there will be decision hard and fast and that is that.

[Vermouth]

http://skiesmag.com/news/article/Breaking-bonds---the-enforceability-of-training-contracts

[Skidz]

I had a very bad experience last year where a company offered me a job for the summer. We agreed on terms over the phone, and they sent me a plane ticket. I went there, did all of the paperwork (forms, exams, etc.). I already had a valid PPC, so all they had to do was do the mandatory company initial training and I was good to go. I was then summoned into the owner's office and shown a "contract" that I was expected to sign before going further. It was in effect a training bond covering "ground school" and "flight training" which basically stated that the company would withhold an amount covering that training (at tarif rates) and that if I didn't stay until the end of the season (no date specified, at their discretion), I would forfeit the entire amount. I asked if I could think about it for a bit, and was told that I had 1 minute, and that piece of paper would not leave the office, nor would I get a copy of it after signing it. I was basically under duress.

 

I said no, and they said "Thank you very much. We're done here." I didn't get paid for the time I spent there and I had to pay my own way back home.

 

Moral to the story: Never accept a contract without getting all of the details in writing before starting.

 

Training bonds are illegal. If a company demands you sign one, chances are they've had people bugger off without getting their money's worth in the past, and this begs the question: Why would a person leave like that ? I understand there are ungrateful pricks out there who will do that to their employer, but there are also employers who treat their employees like crap as well. What goes around comes around..

 

Caveat emptor...

[Speedgeeza]

I've only worked for the bigger names and it's always been that I've signed the contract after a successful PPC. No mention of training fees or with-holding funds for such. I figured if I flew so badly that they didn't want me, they wouldn't have offered me a job! I'm always very grateful for the training as it's just so damned expensive and rather enjoy PPC's. Resharpens skills, refreshes and reminds us of the dangers out there.

[Grasshopper]

Strange that the word 'honor' doesn't come up much discussing this topic and, having divided a number of decades on both sides of this issue, I've seen far too little of it as well. Rather, there's been more of its opposite, sad to say.

 

Ultimately, we all have to look at ourselves in the mirror, or at least ponder over what we've done when trying to sleep at night. If you can't be straight with your employer or employees, I hope you don't waste your time rationalizing what you've done. You've essentially take another step to establishing yourself as either someone that no-one wants to work for or someone no-one will employ.

 

Have the common sense to ask, up front, if there are any commitments involved in what you're doing or, in the case of the employer, take the moral position of frankly explaining the obligations you're demanding before putting the candidate to personal inconvenience or expense.

 

This industry is still direly lacking maturity and it will never change until every one of us starts acting honorably and responsibly i.e. grows up.