Facing Compensation Demands After Resigning Due to Health Issues: What Are My Options?

I accepted an agreement with my educational institution for five years, in which the salary is mentioned only for one year. Later, it can be revised. Due to a health problem, I resigned from my job after completing only four months, as I am suffering from spinal cord compression. They are asking for compensation for the four months' salary. They didn't provide me with any training. Before signing the agreement, I had already worked there for two years. However, they have not provided a copy of the agreement, appointment order, or ID card. If I pursue legal action, how much compensation will I have to pay? I received an experience certificate from them signed by the principal but not by the management. My monthly salary is 33,000, and I am from Karnataka.

Step-by-Step Legal Guidance for Your Situation

1) Spinal Cord Problem: Is your condition so severe that you had no choice but to leave? If yes, then you are not obligated to pay anything. The service of a teacher is a personal service, meaning it cannot be provided by someone else on your behalf. If you are facing an unforeseen problem that makes performance impossible, the contract becomes void due to supervening impossibility.

2) No Appointment Letter: This implies "no appointment." A contract of employment without an appointment letter is non-existent, but only in cases where the appointment letter is mentioned in the agreement.

3) Legal Damages: The Indian Contract Act prescribes "Reasonable Damage." In my opinion, if your health does not permit, the court will likely award minimal damages and nothing exorbitant. See the website below for your legal rights. If they have not fulfilled their obligations, this can also be used against them.

Regards

You can file a complaint in the consumer court because legally, you don't stand a chance in the labor court. A teacher is not considered a workman within the scope of the Industrial Disputes Act. If an appointment letter is not given, what agreement are you referring to? If there is no agreement, then there is no contract; it's void.

Understanding Fixed-Term Contracts and Compensation Claims

Since the agreement is for five years, it implies that it is probably a fixed-term contract of employment for a period of five continuous years of service. At the same time, there is no mention in the post about the job or position held by the poster and the termination clause of the contract before the expiry of the fixed term, if any, at the option of either party.

Irrespective of the reason for exit or its justifiability, the poster resigned from the job just after four months, giving rise to a claim for compensation by the management. However, the claim being exactly the four months' salary received by the poster seems odd and leads to the inference that the foreclosure of the contract at the instance of the poster would entail a refund of the entire salary received by him. Any inference to the effect that such a claim is based on the contract would be untenable as it would render the entire contract unenforceable due to unconscionability.

Any further opinion, therefore, depends only upon the disclosure of the particular clause of exit before the expiry of the term of the contract.