Worried About Legal Action After Accepting a Job Offer but Not Joining? Let's Discuss Your Options

I have accepted a company's letter of appointment since I didn't have an offer and wanted to join the company. In the letter, they didn't mention the joining date but said that it would be conveyed later. They held a five-day induction program, which I attended, and on the fifth day, they told me to join the company from the next day. However, now I don't feel the company has a job role of my interest, and I don't want to join. Can the company take legal action against me as I haven't actually started the job yet? Also, it was stated in the letter that if I didn't complete my retention period (1 year), I would have to serve a notice period of 3 months or, if failing to do so, return the money equivalent to the last 3 months' salary, even though I have not joined the job yet.

Understanding Legal Obligations Before Joining a Company

One cannot be hyper-technical. When you attended the induction training, it was only as an employee, which means after joining. Now, post-training, you didn't take charge; hence, you are not bound to serve the notice period. This is not an argument that will have legal force.

It is not in good taste to leave the organization shortly after joining and completing induction. However, in your case, the job role does not match your interest. It may be mutually beneficial to quit rather than continue as a disgruntled employee. Ensure you quit professionally by clarifying your honest position and fulfilling the notice period requirements and any other obligations. This approach may prevent any legal exposure.

Regards,
Vinayak Nagarkar
HR and Employee Relations Consultant

Can the company take legal action if I don't join after accepting the offer?

The answer is no. If you accept the offer but do not join, they will not take any action at all. HR may just pester you by calling.