Need advice......

[sling322]

Ok...kind of a long story, but I wanted to see what some of you might think about it.  

<disclaimer - any advice given here will not be construed as legal advice>

   My company is a logistics vendor for a major US computer company.  Basically we handle inventory and shipping for them in a region that includes TX, AR, NM, AZ, OK and LA as well as nationwide after hours call center support.  This computer vendor has decided to move all of their business to one source instead of involving us and the 2 other major vendors that they use currently.

   Because of this decision, the position I am currently in is going away.  My company is offering a small bonus payment to those employees who stick around until this transition in order to make things smoother.  At the same time that they are encouraging us to stick around, they are also encouraging us to apply for other positions within our company that may come available.  Keep in mind here that each department closes at a little different time and the bonus amount is a little different depending on the dept.  

   A little of the history here is that I originally worked here in Dallas and then transferred to Houston and then back to Dallas when these offices started closing.  During that time I was told by my supervisor not to worry about my retention bonus because I would receive the bonus for whatever dept I happened to be in at the time of transition.  

   Herein lies the problem....I have decided to transfer into an open position that is going to be around a while longer than my current one, but now the company is telling us that anyone who already signed a retention agreement will be ineligible to receive a bonus if they transfer into another dept.  The agreement we signed says nothing about it depending upon not transferring to another dept.  I have a copy of the agreement but its too long to go into here.  

   What do you think about this?  I know my company's policies are not always great, but I feel that we have been mis-led and mis-informed all along about this.  Do you think its worth contacting a lawyer?  Keep in mind.....<disclaimer - any advice given here will not be construed as legal advice>

[mrfish]

Originally posted by sling322:
...the company is telling us that anyone who already signed a retention agreement will be ineligible to receive a bonus if they transfer into another dept.  The agreement we signed says nothing about it depending upon not transferring to another dept

it may not say anything directly about switching departments but there is a variety of language they could use to shaft you so be careful.

options:
1. don't transfer
2. transfer and ammend your agreement.

anything else is risky.

[AKDejaVu]

What Mr Fish said.

Don't sue your employer unless you are sure you can win and there is a large payout.

AKDejaVu

[Hangtime]

Damn Sling.. they just car-bombed yer job, then started pickin off the survivors as they crawl from the wreckage.

Nuke the bastards!

If you can't keep it off yer resume, you can always get a job at the Stop & Rob.. I hear they got a midnight cashier late shift slot opening up.. (Habib got drafted)

 

[Kratzer]

There is probably a lot more value in having a job these days than in having a bonus...  Yeah, it sucks, but you don't want to be looking for a job in this market...  that sad fact is keeping a lot of us at jobs that aren't completely square with us... As sad as it sounds, don't rock the boat, and when the job market strengthens a bit, leave the company for greener pastures.