Hi Serious K,
I am curious about one thing,
if you guys ever heard of employers asking they staff to repay the bonus if the staff leave within 12months after the bonus paid?
they came out a signing bonus kinda shit and asking staff to sign it in-order to get bonus.

Never heard of such thing

I’m sure what they are doing is legal, but I would leave the company if I were you. Sounds like toxic management

yes depends on any papers you sign

First of all - what exactly are you referring to?

Annual performance bonus, or SIGN ON bonus? Both are 2 different things.

Anyway, like one dude earlier said - depends on what you sign on your employment contract. If it’s in there, and you’ve signed and accepted it, then too bad lo.

Yes, I don’t think this is uncommon either and not a cinaman style either.

It sounds like you’re describing sign on bonus if you agree to work for employer. Usually these bonus have terms like you need to work at least X months. Else, repay prorata or what else depending on the terms.

check back your agreement was there such clauses

Yea, I just left

Annual bonus 🥲

Its new agreement ler, not previous agreement

Normal if got black and white

What the clause in the letter that you sign? Signing/ Sign In / Sign On Bonus is an incentive for employee joining a company. Normally come with clause for duration of work. Some give upfront and some give after you completed the duration.

huh leave within 12 months have to pay back bonus

means you leave when also need to pay back the bonus there’s no escape lol

1. buat bodo
2. threaten to report them

Sounds like toxic company. Bonus is for past year performance.

Look on the bright side....u just need to lepak at office dont do work wait till they fire u.

yes. in the west this is how it works. often its only for positions that are highly sought after / competitive and with start up company where they dont have alot of funds to begin with so they will offer to give you this and that package.
but if they offer sign on bonus then either you are in a niche industry that they really want or you have a big dick that they want. either way, they want you thats why they give sign on bonus
but the stipulation usually is if you leave then you have to give it back thats why alot of people force themselves to stay for at least 1 year before the jump ship
silicon valley is notorious for this kind of hiring style

ok TS just explained above, its annual bonus but they need to sign agreement to return it if leave within 12mths. got it...
its legal for companies to do it, but then also major red flag time to leave the company
dont sign, time to search for new job

If there is no blank n white ... report je.

Let the authority decide.

it actually legal as bonuses is under company discretion and not covered by employment law whatsoever unless stated in your contract that you are guaranteed bonuses or some kind of performance based incentives


it somehow a new trend on company with high turn over. i first heard about around 5 or 6 years ago..

It started with sales especially those high sales volume managers. The reasoning is due to when they run they bring their client along with them

Annual bonus but need to repay back if resign? Unless your company pays you abnormal bonus 120 months bonus like Hyundai Oil, it makes no sense to payback annual bonus if resigned

nope, usually the company will pay out the bonus seperated in a few months, so the staff resign they wont get those when they resign

this is called salary advanced. go labor department report them and tell them they under report your PCB.

It's so easy to throw the "toxic" term nowadays

Sikit2 toxic, sikit2 toxic

That’s not toxic? Really?

Also, to answer your question, you are obligated to return the sign up bonus if you leave or resign before the promised duration

You signed those papers, you enjoyed the bonus

Now you break the promise, you come here to cry?

Like I said, companies usually offer sign on bonus to attract talents but they usually come with terms that you have to stay in the company for x duration. This bonus can usually be in the form of 1-3 months of your salary, which is pretty lucrative. They take the upfront risk on you.

If you leave the company before fulfilling your promise, obviously you need to return it back.

I’ve worked with multiple MNCs, one large GLCs…and now retired.

Never saw such things before. Thats toxic to me, maybe not for you cause to you its normal.

Breaking your promise and hoping for no consequences is normal for you? Then I have nothing else to say

Then this is not bonus.
It is giving out handcuffs to lock you with the company forever.

Its not about the promise. Its the act of forcing people to sign an agreement to forfeit their bonus

I’ve been given bonuses without any conditions attached

That ensures my loyalty rather than some agreement

I bet you're one of those guys who blames the bank when you can't pay your debts

No one forced you to sign those papers

No one pointed a gun at your head

Now, you can't fulfil your end of promise, you run around and shout toxic

Withholding one’s bonus by subjecting them to sign an agreement is what one can also term as ‘holding to ransom’

Thats toxic behaviour right there

I used to work with one MNC that give sign on bonus, payable on sixth month, but need to stay for at least a year. Normal je.

I also previously worked with another MNC that acquired my then employer, and received retention bonus if stayed for 2 years iinm.

This post has been edited by genesiscopy: Jan 18 2023, 11:04 PM

Bonuses are not obligatory, let's get that out of the way

There are many companies who went under and have yet to recover from the pandemic

No one forced you to stay in the company

You signed those papers, you bear the consequences

It's as simple as that

Do you blame the bank when they come to repossess your property?

TS is referring to annual bonus ie performance bonus

Exactly. I can't believe I need to explain this to that cow above.

Its performance bonus, if the employer feels the need to hold an employee’s bonus who has performed throughout the year and probably rightfully deserves it, thats toxic behaviour right there

For someone who said you have nothing else to say, you sure got a lot more to say

Irregardless whether it's a sign on bonus or a performance one, bonuses are not obligatory. It's up to the company to decide whether to give bonus or not. Most people don't even receive bonus the past 2 years because of the pandemic.

The point here is that, you agreed to the terms and you break it. No one forced you to sign those papers.

First of all, ‘irregardless’ is not even a word

Yes, they are not obligatory

You seem confused again to say ‘you agreed to the terms’. Nobody has agreed to the terms, TS himself said he did not agree to the terms.

Its the condition that has been handed to him. Good for him he moved to another company, a company that ties you with such conditions are red flags all over.

You keep harping about terms that are agreed, when I keep pointing its not the terms but the act itself.

Such act is as good as giving up an annual bonus if this is perpetual, unless you retire in the same place.

Unless otherwise and industry norm, this would indicate the company is anticipating large amounts of resignation.

Just sign it first, and if you decide to leave just pay it back. At least you can earn interest on it.

In that case it's a bit odd. Paying back performance bonus for work done in previous year is tbh kinda weird.

Usually some calculative companies did not pay the performance bonus even if you're still serving notice period e.g. performance bonus for 2022 payable in first quarter 2023 and you didn't get it since you're serving 3-months resignation notice period.

It sure is odd, but not illegal.

In cases of sign on or retention bonus, you need to serve the term first then only they pay you. You dont have to return it back once they pay you. This is pretty normal for MNCs.

This part that panda cannot understand.

This post has been edited by Lembu Goreng: Jan 19 2023, 12:01 AM

my previous employer did something almost similar, giving half month advance bonus in december, then in april folowing year when performance result release, if u get level 1 then u nid to repay back that half month advance, level 2 means oni half month bonus, level 3 1 month, then 4 n 5

I had been working here for 4years and now they are asking us to sign the signing bonus..I tendered

But this is not an offer for new staff, this is a letter to old staff, whereby staff need to sign it inorder to get the bonus, and if staff is leaving in 12months, they can ask us to repay the bonus. How much? It will be case by case basis.

Wow, big d
When MY started to have this practice

Waaaa. Like that also can. If change in management ok la.

It is the company financial year ending. Some FY on 1st Qr, some 2nd QR, some at 3QR & some on 4th QR. Need to follow the FY date for accounting purpose.

An example, a company FY 22 could be ending on Jun 23, by issuing bonus now, they are paying the annual bonus but the evaluation taking into consideration is only 6 months is according to their FY 22.

To avoid this dispute, the 6 months yet to evaluate should not be considered.

your post is unclear. why do you keep using the term "signing bonus" then also say it is normal "performance bonus"?

the term "signing bonus" is quite widely understood as a bonus offered by a company to a new employee on the condition that he/she stays with the company for a minimum agreed term.

check here: definition of signing bonus

if a company offers "signing bonus" to an existing employee, then it could be a sign that the company values that employee and doesn't want him/her to leave the company at least within the stipulated term.

in the end: if you signed the agreement, then you already agreed to the terms.

So if they fire you they need to pay extra compensation?