What are my legal rights with regards to an offer of employment that was rescinded?

About a month ago I was offered a job with this company. Once I had received the offer in writing, I handed in my notice with my current employers. That was 2 weeks ago. Now this company have called me saying that due to cutbacks they have had to axe my position.

I have had to sell all my shares with my current company at a ridiculously low price, paying tax on them which I wouldnt have had to do if I had stayed with them. I also have no idea if my current employers will take me back as they are looking to cutback themselves and wouldnt have replaced me anyway.

I'm waiting to hear back from my current employers to see if they will take me back but being as this other company was totally at fault, if I DONT get taken back, am I within my rights to claim anything from them with regards to financial loss due to them messing me about?

Thanks all.

SimonC

An offer is just that - an offer. You don't have a contract until you have accepted that offer.

But even if you have accepted it, it is normal practice that you have a probationary period in a new job. During the probation period you are normally only entitled to 1 week's notice. So the absolute best case is that they should owe you 1 week's pay.

Edit:
Can however has given me the thumbs down please explain why. This is a legally correct answer.

Duffer

I would say that the job offer was just that - an offer, not a contract. The company is free to withdraw the offer. You could see a solicitor about financial loss due to your expectations, but don't hold your breath. Good luck with your current employer - I mean it.

Pengy

First sorry about the situation but that is the economy. Question is why did you have to sell your shares in the company? Does not make sense. Next unfortunately there is nothing you can do legally as they can and did change their minds most likely do to the economy. If your former company would not have replaced you how do you know they where not going to let you go also. You made the decision to quit for another job if that fell through sorry to say to bad

Judy

Lousy luck, but not legally actionable. What if you had gone to work there and they'd laid you off after a day? A week? A month? Six months? Would you be asking the same question?

Good luck to you on getting your old job back.

Note that depending on what country you are in the answer might be different.

Christin K

I don't know if you'll get a job with them, but you certainly could sue them for damages. You've suffered financial losses due to their offer IN WRITING.

I would see an attorney. If they don't hire you they should at least owe you for the losses you suffered, which are real and tangible.

wine-o

sorry, but there is nothing you can do about it, unless you pursue a civil case against them, which is likely to be prohibitably expensive.

lucie n

I put £300 into shares at my work, in August last year, it is an internal share scheme. The company lost a half of there buisness at christmas, so as you can imgaine I would like my money back, the company are still in buisness, and look to continue like this for some time however I still want my shares back. They have told me that I can have them back back but at a third of what I put in, as they have lost the other contract, they took 2 months to come to back to me, the have given me nothing in writing no figures as to how they have calculated this. Im also confused as the said although we lost the contract we was up £1000000 last year. Also 2 members of staff 1 still working for the company and 1 who left 2 months ago was given theres back at the value they put in minus tax and insurance. My work are extermlly dodgy they ahve legal cases thrown at them all the time were they end up loosing, so I dont trust them. They are also asking all staff to sign a new handbook which you can not print off to take home to read, I want to refuse to sign it but I am unsure what would happen if I did this?

lucie n

Enter Your Message or Comment

User Name:
User Email:
Post a comment: