How Should I Handle CMC Ltd's Unethical Offer Change During My Notice Period?

I have been selected for CMC Ltd after going through three stages of interviews. They sent me the offer letter on 22nd May 2014. After we mutually agreed on the situation, they offered me 5.2 LPA. Upon receiving the written offer letter, I submitted my resignation to my current company. However, suddenly after 3-4 days, they called me and stated that I must join them on 4.2 LPA, or they would rescind the offer. I questioned the basis for this change because I had already submitted my resignation based on the initial offer letter. This situation left me feeling very depressed, and I was compelled to retract my resignation from my current company, agreeing to a one-year service bond and sending an apology email.

Following this, I emailed their MD & CEO, Mr. Ramanan, and they scheduled a discussion for Friday, 30th May 2014, in an attempt to persuade me that the issue was not their fault. Despite their efforts, I remained firm in my stance and left the meeting. Subsequently, on Sunday, 1st June 2014, they contacted me, offering me the initial terms to join on 2nd June. However, due to their unprofessional and unethical conduct, I have decided not to accept the offer as I perceive it as a potential trap. Their inhumane treatment has left me bound by a service agreement, preventing me from changing jobs for one year and causing significant mental distress. I seek justice in this matter as I have followed the proper channels within the company hierarchy but have not received a satisfactory resolution. I simply request some straightforward answers from CMC Ltd, and I would appreciate guidance on how to proceed.

What has happened with you is quite unfortunate. This is a classic case of unprofessional behavior from the so-called branded companies. Nevertheless, you cannot lay the blame entirely at their doorstep. You too were confused and mishandled the matter. Please read my replies in *italics* to your text.

I have been selected for CMC Ltd after giving 3 stages of interviews. They sent me the offer letter on 22nd May 2014, offering me 5.2 LPA. After our mutual agreement, I submitted my resignation to my current company.

*No comments*

But suddenly, after 3-4 days, they called me and said that I have to join them on 4.2 LPA, or they will drop the offer. I wanted to know on what basis they are saying this because based on that offer letter, I had submitted my resignation.

*This is the unprofessional behavior of the highest kind. HR has a penchant for talking about leadership and teaching others a lot about emotional intelligence and so on. This incident shows how they blow hot and cold back home.*

In that situation, I was very much depressed and forced to withdraw my resignation from the current company with a one-year service bond and an apology mail.

*Anyway, it was your decision to reverse your previous decision to resign. By making you sign the bond, HR foreclosed the possibility of you doing to them what CMC did to you.*

After that, I emailed their MD & CEO, Mr. Ramanan, and they called me for a discussion on last Friday, 30th May 2014, trying to convince me that it was not their problem. I stuck to my opinion and left the place.

*Nothing wrong if you had written a letter to the CEO. However, why did you go for a discussion? The letter was to keep the CEO informed about what happens in his company. HR of that company would never have informed you of letting you down on their commitment.*

On Sunday (01/06/2014), they called me and said that I can join on the previous offer on 2nd June.

*What can be expected from these people who do not have firm feet on the ground?*

But I am now bound by their unprofessional and unethical attitude. Still, I would not join them after facing this kind of thing because it may be a trap. Due to their inhuman behavior, I am now service-bonded, and I can't change my job for one year. Obviously, I have suffered a lot of mental harassment. I want justice for this situation. I had followed the hierarchy but didn’t get any effective solution. I just want some simple questions answered from CMC Ltd. Please guide me on the way.

*This is your sheer frustration. Once you withdrew your resignation, you turned your back on CMC. What's the point in going for the discussion? Getting an offer letter and subsequently receiving a second offer with reduced salary was the irony of your fate. You could have swallowed this bullet and allowed your life to go on. Compromise is the name of the game. In fact, nothing could have stopped you from uploading images on social media of the two offer letters. You could have taught them a nice lesson. Today, social media is a far more powerful tool. It is not only for exposing the sham activities of politicians but also of corporations. What happened to you is quite horrible, and the incident should have been brought to light. Anyway, forget the incident and concentrate on your current job.*

Final Comments: We in HR are quite obsessed with jargon like workforce diversity, human potential management, and so on. Nevertheless, many of us do not show common sense in routine activities. These same people go to five-star hotels and in some seminars deliver lectures on leadership to others!

Thanks,

Regards,
Dinesh V Divekar

I am really thankful to you for your valuable time and consideration. However, I just don't want to leave them like this. Not only via social media, I want to go through the legal process. Please guide me on how I can lodge a complaint against them and what the procedure would be.

Regards,
Sourav.

I strongly recommend you forget the incident as a bad dream. Life is not for settling scores with this or that person. I would say please invest your time and energy in building your career. Instead of getting entangled in litigation, invest the same time in learning something new or spend the same time in pursuit of your hobby.

Life is made of good and bad experiences. Do not expect everything to be good always. Do not expect everybody to be good always. My advice may sound a little avuncular; however, let me tell you, gentlemen, that life is very short, time is very less. Therefore, do not waste even a single minute on unproductive activities.

You had taken up the matter with the CEO, and he had responded as well. Not that he had trashed your letter. If you had not withdrawn your letter of resignation, probably you would have got a new job with a higher salary. After getting the second offer letter but before withdrawing the letter of resignation, you should have approached the CEO. By chance, if he had not responded, then only you should have withdrawn the letter of resignation. Partially, you were also at fault for not being mentally stable.

Leave everything. The ride is always bumpy in life's journey. Move on with this jolt after the bump.

All the best!

Regards,
Dinesh Divekar

Actually, I had a notice period of 7 days, and on the 6th day, they sent the changed offer details. On the 7th day (which could be my last working day in the current company), they called me for a discussion. So, I don't think there was any way for me to retract my resignation. I knew that on that day, they were going to offer the position to another candidate, as I had forwarded his resume to my current company. With my family depending on me, not revoking my resignation would have left me jobless. Was there any guarantee that CMC would revert to their original decision? (Let's not consider CMC; would I receive another job offer quickly, and would I not face questions about my job status? How would potential employers view this situation?)

(For your information, I presented my resignation email and the withdrawal of resignation email to the CMC representatives during the meeting, so they are attempting to demonstrate clarity. If they were truly clear, they could have taken action earlier.)

Additionally, if I were to join after this incident, would they treat me fairly? They might even terminate my employment or reduce my salary (citing my alleged unfitness). How would one assess my fitness at that point? I have all call records and discussions recorded from the meeting day.

Regards,
Sourav

I appreciate Dinesh's comments. Just let it go and take it as a lesson learned in life. You got perplexed in the situation and are facing the brunt now after being in a bond for 1 year. Nevertheless, use this one year for upgrading your skill set and reviving your ties with your current employer, as somewhere you have become a disloyal employee in their eyes as well.

Yes, of course, you are doing good by bringing such issues on social media and making others aware of how to handle such situations in their life. Don't think about wasting your time and energy on litigation.

Regards,
Swati