"I Signed Myself Into Slavery Because Of Unemployment And Now I Can't Get Out"

Please I urgently need the help of any legal practitioners. I really don't know what I've gotten my self into.

I finished NYSC last year and two months later I was interviewed for a job at an Indian owned Pharmaceutical company. After two months I was offered the job as a Medical representative. My self and all other successful applicants were given a one-week training before we were all dispatched to our different states.

Among the employment forms we were given to sign there was a SERVICE BOND form which states that "I am to work with the company for TWO YEARS or pay a sum of 250.000" I signed because of the employment situation in the country and to be honest I was desperate I couldn't afford to be unemployed I had so many family pressures I was almost becoming depressed.

I am now on the job and my people I AM SEEING HELL!!! I work tirelessly my salary is less than 100k I spend a greater amount of it on transportation(Nature of the Job as a Medical Representative I Move from one place to the other) we were promised a car for mobility but this is almost 6months and absolutely nothing is being said about it. I am under the sun under the rain working. I hate complaining because I feel it is synonymous to being ungrateful but some days I can't take it I feel like quitting on the spot!

After I realised the service bond I signed I refused to sign the offer of employment letter (I still have it in my possession). Now I'm seeking a less stressful job because honestly this one is beginning to affect my health. How do I go about this SERVICE BOND please I really need help. I can't pay that 250k I can barely save up to 20k every month infact successfully saving 10k a month is a miracle! And I can't work for another 18 months I'm not sure I will survive. Please I need Your help!


http://m.naij.com/news/39768.html

I'm no legal practitioner but here's my two cents worth of advice:

~ First of all, whip out your Contract of Employment you were given and carefully go through the Terms of Agreement you signed up for.

~ Next, look for where they haven't honoured their end of the deal. You mentioned that part of the agreement was that they provide you with a car for ease of mobility. They haven't done that yet, even after six months. So you have a strong point here to use against them: i.e 'Breach of Contract'. If you can prove how much this has put a drain on your resources (receipts, etc), then even better.

Make a written official complaint to your employers that they haven't met up on their obligations to you with respect to providing you with transportation if you haven't already done so. Request also that they compensate you for your expenses over the last six months. Send them an email, then await their response. If after a few days you get no reply from them, then send a follow-up email. DO NOT DELETE YOUR EMAIL OR THEIR RESPONSE. It's your proof which you're hoping to use against them in your favour.

~ Secondly, go visit your doctor and explain the mental stress this job is exerting in you and how it's affecting your daily life, eg: unable to sleep at night, panic attacks, etc. You're doing this for two purposes: to get some medical help AND proof later on that you can use to exit that company on the grounds of health issues. Your doctor should keep a copy of the outcome of your visit.

~ Finally, be strong. Speak to friends and family members so they can provide you with the emotional support you need. Find the services of a good lawyer if you can too for more advice on what you can do and the options available to you.

Best of luck!

Thank your stars you are employed.
No job is without stress. . .EVEN IF YOU OWN YOUR OWN COMPANY.
The reason MOST Nigerians opt for 'get-rich-quick' schemes while living above their means!
It is your first job. . . it comes with the territory!
Learn to relax and take things in stride.
Your health should be a priority. . . THIS IS A TEST AND YOU ARE FAILING ALREADY!
You have a CONTRACT. . . don't spend money on HUNGRY LAWYERS!


Your next job might put you NEXT TO SATAN!
DO NOT MAKE YOUR JOB YOUR WORLD. . . learn to DE-STRESS and have some fun!

WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LEMONS. . .MAKE LEMONADE.

2 years is not a lifetime!
When you have appples. . . THEN YOU CAN MAKE APPLE-CIDER!

My guy I understand your predicament,u just have to take it easy on yourself indian guys enslave us a lot here,I advise u discuss with a legal mind before taking any decision,betterstill work at your own pace if your salary is not attached to meeting target

I remembered also after my NYSC, the Indian company I served at retained with a salary less than 55k with one of the term of employment been that I will have to work for the company for @least two years before I can go to any other company or decide to continue with them. Omo, I fled o. I served there for one year and I know that there cannot be a change from what I have already seen.

I will tell you that jobs are hard to come by, so also is keeping a job. There isnt an easy job. Even oil/banking/political jobs have alot of stress attached to it. If you are complaining that you work in the rain and sun (yet you hv a guaranteed income montgly irrespectively of your target met) i am sorry to say this; you are LAZY. Very lazy and a typical epitome of the nigerian graduate who feels the world owes them the right to a cushy, well paying stress free job.
Do you know how many hours the kids who hawk water/buns etc put in daily even at the weekends all for a meagre 200# naira at the end of the day? In the rain, sun, cold, they endure daily hazards like people stealing their wares, sexual harrassments from all sorts, injuries from feckless drivers.
Let me give you examples of life in d uk, there are people who work odd jobs in freezing conditions (-4 degrees typical weather condition for my city) here and end up sleeping on a couch at the end of the night just so they can save up and send money to take care of their responsibilities back home as well as meet the demands of extended family members/relatives like you.
I would advise you to suck it up, man up, stop acting like a spoilt child and learn to be thankful that you have a job despite your little work experience instead of conplaining that they didnt give you a car. Do you think its cheap maintaining a car? You need to stop this attitude of self entitlement and change your mentality. For someone who has already earned 600k in 6 months and cant boast of a 5% savings na wa o. Afraid she is catching me (as sum1 i know wld say).
Take what u can if u can from my words and i wish u well.

If d job does not have a target to be met,take tins easy. Dont overlabour ursef & dont be lazy. U ar opportuned to be employed wit such 'high' salary. Do u knw i finished nysc in june 2012 but hav not goten even a job dat pays 5000 naira? If u hav a beta job offer wit beta working conditions,u quit. The Indians cant stop u. Hw can they enslave u in ur homeland? Wen u quit,make them find u go ur village to pay them 250k. Ndi ara!

This is as a result of not asking yourself the right questions when you got the job offer.


You would need to tackle a monkey like a monkey, use the same bond used to keep you in bondage to free yourself.

oga relax, you can always sue for unfair labor practice but men when hunger dey blow you.... na when u go realize say to make money no easy. suck it up and do the job. meanwhile dont mind them jare: nake sure on the day you want to leave them ensure all products and monies belonging to them are given to the company. then leave. they cannot sue you on the 250,000.00 bond.

Poster,

Do not stress yourself at all. Try and look for a better job, resign from this job and go to the other one. Several things can happen but no need to worry.

Service bonds are mostly not enforceable in Nigeria and I can say that at least upto five years ago. If you resign, you can always negotiate repayment, i.e, monthly repayment and it all depends on what you can afford. So you can pay them back N10k monthly. Besides, there are several parts of your contract they have not fulfilled so you have aright to walk out.

And when you negotiate, if you have spent one year, then you only owe then N125k and not he N250k. This is Nigeria and nobody can stop you from resigning from anywhere.

You took the job as a result of unemployment? 2 months after NYSC? Patience is a virtue my dear.

natasha: I will tell you that jobs are hard to come by, so also is keeping a job. There isnt an easy job. Even oil/banking/political jobs have alot of stress attached to it. If you are complaining that you work in the rain and sun (yet you hv a guaranteed income montgly irrespectively of your target met) i am sorry to say this; you are LAZY. Very lazy and a typical epitome of the nigerian graduate who feels the world owes them the right to a xushy, well paying stress free job.
Do you know how many hours the kids who hawk water/buns etc put in daily even at the weekends all for a meagre 200# naira at the end od the day? In the rain, sun, cold, they endure daily hazards like people stealing their wares, sexual harrassments from all sorts, injuries from feckless drivers.
Let me give you examples of life in d uk, there are people who work odd jobs in freezing conditions (-4 degrees typical weather condition for my city) here and end up sleeping on a couch at the end of the night just so they can save up and send money to take care of their responsibilities back home as well as meet the demanda of extended family membera/relatives like you.
I would advise yoj to suck it up, man up, stop acting like a spoilt child and learn to be thankful that you have a job despite you little work experience instead of conplaining that they didnt give you a car. Do you think its cheap maintaining a car? You need to stop this attitude of self entitlement and change your mentality. For someone who has already earned 600k in 6 months and cant boast of a 5% savings na wa o. Afraid she is catching me (as sum1 i know wld say).
Take what u can if u can from my words and i wish u well.

Crap, from top to bottom absolute crap.

Bro take a critical look at comment 1 and 2
I think their wisdom, note am not in any way saying every other once is not wise
Oooo I mean no harm

natasha: I will tell you that jobs are hard to come by, so also is keeping a job. There isnt an easy job. Even oil/banking/political jobs have alot of stress attached to it. If you are complaining that you work in the rain and sun (yet you hv a guaranteed income montgly irrespectively of your target met) i am sorry to say this; you are LAZY. Very lazy and a typical epitome of the nigerian graduate who feels the world owes them the right to a xushy, well paying stress free job.
Do you know how many hours the kids who hawk water/buns etc put in daily even at the weekends all for a meagre 200# naira at the end od the day? In the rain, sun, cold, they endure daily hazards like people stealing their wares, sexual harrassments from all sorts, injuries from feckless drivers.
Let me give you examples of life in d uk, there are people who work odd jobs in freezing conditions (-4 degrees typical weather condition for my city) here and end up sleeping on a couch at the end of the night just so they can save up and send money to take care of their responsibilities back home as well as meet the demanda of extended family membera/relatives like you.
I would advise yoj to suck it up, man up, stop acting like a spoilt child and learn to be thankful that you have a job despite you little work experience instead of conplaining that they didnt give you a car. Do you think its cheap maintaining a car? You need to stop this attitude of self entitlement and change your mentality. For someone who has already earned 600k in 6 months and cant boast of a 5% savings na wa o. Afraid she is catching me (as sum1 i know wld say).
Take what u can if u can from my words and i wish u well.

U are too hard on him

first, your employers didnt keep their end of the deal by providing you with a vehicle for mobility. that alone is a 'strong' case of contract breach. how where you supposed to move around marketing their products without it, where they giving you transport allowance?
also, in this dysfunctional state of ours, who is going to arrest a man for choosing to retire from an uninspiring job. isn't it against labour laws?

Our leaders has it come to this stage where we are enslaved in our homeland all in the name of foriegn investment. I bet you this can't happen in their own country. I know how this man feels. My dad worked for CNPC, 3 months in the sea, 12 days off with salary less than 40K. i just hate these chinese firms. Work for western companies like chevron, agip etc. you would see how they treat their worker with utmost priority. @ op leave the job

Stress yourself not. Be on the look out for sth better and once u find it, resign. Simple, they should sue na if they can or is it not Indians again?
Don't sweat it at all.

@Natasha, those Indians are well known for their poor treatment to their workers and if he has to pay for transport as well as feed himself then the money may not be adequate. Also I believe he said d pay is less than 100 so your calculations of 600k is off as well.

Stress yourself not. Be on the look out for sth better and once u find it, resign. Simple, they should sue na if they can or is it not Indians again?
Don't sweat it at all.

@Natasha, those Indians are well known for their poor treatment to their workers and if he has to pay for transport as well as feed himself then the money may not be adequate. Also I believe he said d pay is less than 100 so your calculations of 600k is off as well.
This serves as a lesson, they say patience is bitter but its fruit is sweet!

natasha: (yet you hv a guaranteed income montgly irrespectively of your target met) i am sorry to say this; you are LAZY. Very lazy and a typical epitome of the nigerian graduate who feels the world owes them the right to a xushy, well paying stress free job.
Do you know how many hours the kids who hawk water/buns etc put in daily even at the weekends all for a meagre 200# naira at the end od the day? In the rain, sun, cold, they endure daily hazards like people stealing their wares, sexual harrassments from all sorts, injuries from feckless drivers.
Let me give you examples of life in d uk, there are people who work odd jobs in freezing conditions (-4 degrees typical weather condition for my city) here and end up sleeping on a couch at the end of the night just so they can save up and send money to take care of their responsibilities back home as well as meet the demanda of extended family membera/relatives like you..

@ natasha...u sound very S.T.U.P.I.D saying that the typical Nigerian graduate is lazy. How much do you think you know about Nigeria from your '' U.K '' base. The likes of you encourage other people to suffer-harder while they run away from the sufferings, then later start judging Nigerians here. I hope they repartrate you with ure fake visa. So that you came back to Nigeria and join the crew of ''typical Nigeria graduates'' who are all '' LAZY ''. Before you travelled out to u.k were you as WILD as this .... Listen to how depressing your comment is. U speak through your A N U S. You have lost all the human conscience in you....because u want to be like oyibo.

@ Readers : this is a typical example of what most Nigerian girls that travel abroad become: dead conscience and fiercely selfish. In her mind she thinks she's ''telling him the raw truth''. She has just turned WILD cos she is in the u.k

Its only a cult you enter and exiting becomes a problem....you have been properly adviced by efemena. our labour laws are pathetic

This is a very simple case. Just commit an offence that is unpardonable, they will chase you themselves.

@ efemena u ve said all...

I want to believe this story is forged, if not get yourself a lawyer and take the case to court. What you signed is called an 'undisclosed covenant' and you can void it because you were made to sign under duress.

Personally if it were me. I will simply stop work and go home-reason being I am not fine. If you must pay the 250k then agree through a court to pay when you can afford to.

This is a no case, I am very sure you were employed as a casual staff even if your employment letter doesn't state so. You are under no bond, walk away.

careytommy: first, your employers didnt keep their end of the deal by providing you with a vehicle for mobility. that alone is a 'strong' case of contract breach. how where you supposed to move around marketing their products without it, where they giving you transport allowance?
also, in this dysfunctional state of ours, who is going to arrest a man for choosing to retire from an uninspiring job. isn't it against labour laws?

Thats only if they put the 'provision of vehicle' in writing, if they dint then its his word against theirs in court n that wont hold... Would have adviced him to do such a bad piece of work that they have no choice buh to sack him and then he removes them frm his CV... The problem is that if they are wicked they can still refuse to release him... Infact just find a way pay that 250k if u cant stand it again, in life we make mistakes which we learn from and this is one of those mistakes. If u go to court you'll spend more than 250k n likely still lose... Ur even fortunate its just 250k, access bank is 2million

I got a job too like 5mths ago with a SA owned top notch diagnostic laboratory in Lagos and they required a 5 year bond. I didn't even bother - I ja.

dear OP: look at it this way, if you drop dead today from work related exertions, will your job spot be filled immediately or not? will life as we know it continue or not? will your employers compensate your family or not? if your answer is yes,yes, no in that order,then i guess you know what you should do...

natasha: I will tell you that jobs are hard to come by, so also is keeping a job. There isnt an easy job. Even oil/banking/political jobs have alot of stress attached to it. If you are complaining that you work in the rain and sun (yet you hv a guaranteed income montgly irrespectively of your target met) i am sorry to say this; you are LAZY. Very lazy and a typical epitome of the nigerian graduate who feels the world owes them the right to a xushy, well paying stress free job.
Do you know how many hours the kids who hawk water/buns etc put in daily even at the weekends all for a meagre 200# naira at the end od the day? In the rain, sun, cold, they endure daily hazards like people stealing their wares, sexual harrassments from all sorts, injuries from feckless drivers.
Let me give you examples of life in d uk, there are people who work odd jobs in freezing conditions (-4 degrees typical weather condition for my city) here and end up sleeping on a couch at the end of the night just so they can save up and send money to take care of their responsibilities back home as well as meet the demanda of extended family membera/relatives like you.
I would advise yoj to suck it up, man up, stop acting like a spoilt child and learn to be thankful that you have a job despite you little work experience instead of conplaining that they didnt give you a car. Do you think its cheap maintaining a car? You need to stop this attitude of self entitlement and change your mentality. For someone who has already earned 600k in 6 months and cant boast of a 5% savings na wa o. Afraid she is catching me (as sum1 i know wld say).
Take what u can if u can from my words and i wish u well.

very harsh words from someone that wanted to dodge NYSC: https://www.nairaland.com/493745/how-get-nysc-exemption-certificate#16748562

I know someone who was in this same predicament, except it was a Nigerian company and the working conditions were not as bad as this. However, the money they were asking for back was much higher than this. It was the equivalent of 9 months salary @ > 100k per month.

Long and short was my dude left before stipulated contract expired, for a higher paying experienced role at a bank, and was owing the company. He decided not to pay. When it came for him to be confirmed by bank after 6 months they sent a letter to his old employers. Who obviously said they could not advice anybody to hire him. He eventually lost the (bank) job and tried to sue the former company. I dont think he won because he signed an agreement fair and square.

My honest advice would be to either finish up your contract, you signed the bond, its not a great contract but its legally binding on you. 2 years isnt the longest time in the world.
Or b, delete the company from your entire profile so its as if you never worked there. this would be a waste of the time and experience you have spent there sha.

Others have already adviced how there might be a breach of contract etc but that sounds like it will be a long winded procedure

OP, as an Indian living in Nigeria, here's my two cents.

Stop calling it "Slavery". This is very misleading, and may incite hatred. I sometimes experience anti-Indian hatred from Nigerians here, and it is misleading rumours like this that contribute to racism against Indians here in Nigeria.

After all, you signed up to the contract. If you had any common sense at all, you'd come to expect that the job is hell or else they wouldn't bond you for 2 years. Why would a great job bond their employees with such a hefty penalty.

Yes, you can try to find if they also breach the contract, in which case the contract would be null and void. But I've come to learn that the legal enforcement of this country really means nothing, and perhaps a bribe by your employer would mean that you have no case against them.

Anyway, best of luck. Stop hating on Indians.

natasha: I will tell you that jobs are hard to come by, so also is keeping a job. There isnt an easy job. Even oil/banking/political jobs have alot of stress attached to it. If you are complaining that you work in the rain and sun (yet you hv a guaranteed income montgly irrespectively of your target met) i am sorry to say this; you are LAZY. Very lazy and a typical epitome of the nigerian graduate who feels the world owes them the right to a xushy, well paying stress free job.
Do you know how many hours the kids who hawk water/buns etc put in daily even at the weekends all for a meagre 200# naira at the end od the day? In the rain, sun, cold, they endure daily hazards like people stealing their wares, sexual harrassments from all sorts, injuries from feckless drivers.
Let me give you examples of life in d uk, there are people who work odd jobs in freezing conditions (-4 degrees typical weather condition for my city) here and end up sleeping on a couch at the end of the night just so they can save up and send money to take care of their responsibilities back home as well as meet the demanda of extended family membera/relatives like you.
I would advise yoj to suck it up, man up, stop acting like a spoilt child and learn to be thankful that you have a job despite you little work experience instead of conplaining that they didnt give you a car. Do you think its cheap maintaining a car? You need to stop this attitude of self entitlement and change your mentality. For someone who has already earned 600k in 6 months and cant boast of a 5% savings na wa o. Afraid she is catching me (as sum1 i know wld say).
Take what u can if u can from my words and i wish u well.

You cant come here, Natasha, and compare working conditions in the UK to that of Nigeria. Especially as its been shown that you yourself arent hardworking enough to come and serve your country with your Msc and 5 years experience at 24.

Efemena_xy: I'm no legal practitioner but here's my two cents worth of advice:

~ First of all, whip out your Contract of Employment you were given and carefully go through the Terms of Agreement you signed up for.

~ Next, look for where they haven't honoured their end of the deal. You mentioned that part of the agreement was that they provide you with a car for ease of mobility. They haven't done that yet, even after six months. So you have a strong point here to use against them: i.e 'Breach of Contract'. If you can prove how much this has put a drain on your resources (receipts, etc), then even better.

Make a written official complaint to your employers that they haven't met up on their obligations to you with respect to providing you with transportation if you haven't already done so. Request also that they compensate you for your expenses over the last six months........

omo see experience, choi, I remove my cap for u sir.