Facing Legal Concerns After Resigning Early Without an Appointment Letter – What Should I Do?

I joined the company on 31st December 2012 and have been working with the company (not specifying the name). I have been facing issues as they are not providing the resources I need, and due to the lack of resources, I have had to work on projects. Additionally, I have some personal issues. Consequently, I have decided to resign from the company. When I joined, I signed a bond for 2 years and agreed to pay 1 lakh if I left before completing the two years. Unfortunately, I have not received an appointment letter from the company as of now. I am concerned that the company may take legal action against me for leaving without fulfilling the bond agreement.

Summary of Employment Issues

In summary, I joined the company, signed a 2-year bond for 1 lakh, and have not received an appointment letter. The bond states that the company will provide training, which I must complete by working for 2 years. However, I have not received any training nor is there any mention of training in my appointment letter. Furthermore, I have not received any communication regarding training from the company.

Please let me know if you require any further information.

As an HR professional, I am not in favor of service agreements or bonds. Normally, certain IT companies practice this mainly due to their employee-unfriendly HR policies and practices. They fear that they cannot retain their employees without a bond, thus exerting psychological pressure for them to stay and work with the company for at least two years. Instead of implementing such bonds, organizations should focus on proper employee engagement activities and provide career growth opportunities. This approach fosters a sense of belonging and encourages employees to work for the organization long-term.

However, in your case, leaving the organization after 4 months without a proper reason cannot be justified. It's important to recognize the time and resources invested in recruiting and onboarding an individual. While you spent 4 months in the organization and received a salary, it's essential to reflect on the contributions you made during your time there relative to the compensation you received. Since you signed the service agreement, a separate appointment letter is unnecessary as the service agreement typically encompasses all terms and conditions of your employment. It would be advisable to consult with the HR department to resolve the matter amicably and refrain from leaving any organization before completing at least one year.

All the best,