A signing bonuses or sign-on bonus is incentive pay offered by an employer to encourage a new employee to join the employer's workforce. A signing bonus is offered to incentivize a skilled employee to work for a company or to encourage the employee to stay with the company for an extended period of time. In the latter example, an employer will usually make a bonus offer based on the employee agreeing to remain with the employer for a set period of time.

A sign-on bonus occasionally comes with conditions attached. If the employee signs a repayment agreement stating that they agree to return all bonus monies if separated from employment before a certain date, that employee would likely have to return the money if they decide to leave before that date. The Court may consider the sign-on bonus and agreement a valid contract, and may enforce it against an employee who leaves early and does not return the money, considering the employee's action to be a breach of the agreement. So, if an employee agrees to the terms when he took the job and the signing bonus, signed a repayment agreement, and then decided to take an action in violation of the contract, he would be expected to repay the incentive monies received. However, without a repayment agreement, the employee will not be expected to repay the signing bonus, regardless of when he separates from employment