Originally Posted by
blatav
Air Wisconsin demands bonus repayments from pilots who do not stay on the job for two years. When I left before the two years were up, they billed me for the repayment. I asked the company to tell me why they thought I owed the repayment, but I never received a reply to my numerous letters or phone calls - they just kept billing me for it. I spoke to an attorney who told me the company's demand is baseless, and that I do not owe the repayment. Has anyone repaid their bonus(es) and, if so, why did you think you owed the repayment?
I think you sign something electronically when you agree to bonus or the deferred bonus plan week one. I know I did when I got hired. I took a screenshot of it at the time. I deleted it when we got the new iPads (I was fully vested so it didn’t matter at that point) so I no longer have what it says though it did talk about repayment expectations. 100% before 1 year, prorated months 13-24. Something to that effect. Each individual bonus may have vested earlier - like the 5k after IOE. That’s why the defeated bonus pays in months 13-24. You get 1/12th each month since it’s already vested.
Now that said - is that (electronic signature) legally binding? Would a signed contract even be? No clue. But my guess is that is the leg the company is standing on with this. “We told you, in advance of accepting the bonus, and you signed electronically, that you were aware of policy and then we paid you bonus. So we want our money back”.
Again, I’m not saying I agree or not. And it maybe worth a legal challenge. But at the time I was hired and accepted the bonus, I was aware of the policy and acknowledged it, so it’s hard for me to claim ignorance. The bonus amount has morphed a few times so I also can’t say if each version over the years has done things differently but mine was one of the first versions so if they were documenting it back then - I’d guess they still are.