Hi all, am kinda in a fix. i work in a telecomms firm in lagos and i and 2 other of my colleagues were selected to go on a 5 day course in london. the problem now is that, on friday, a form was sent to me by my superiors asking i append my signature to a document bionding me with the company for 2 years(within which i cant resign). I've been nursing plans to leave this company since last year and my runs is likely to click 2-3months from now but its not certain. i bluntly rejected to sign the bond, so did my counterparts. I'm not sure what my fate is right now in my office as we(3 of us) are the only ones qualified to go on the training course. the company is being run like it will crash soon ans an average of 2 people resigns every month! Gosh i dont know what to do, i dont want to lose my job and at the same time there's none in the offing. do you think i will be sacked?
on friday there's goin to be a board meeting, i think our fate in the company is goin tobe discussed.

I use to work for a coy in in lagos that we sign 2 year bond after training in europe. It got to a stage where boyz use delay tactics, that is , we collect the form, hold on to it wait for the visa process to continue and keep telling them that you are looking for a guarantor.

Besides , Nobody can take you to court for a bond of over 1 year in Nigeria. But i commend your courage though.

yeah,
well since no one has defaulted in the past, i really dont know if i should go ahead. mind u, am not crazy about the UK travellin thing, just love ma freedom, and, i dont see a future in the company,

You have done the right thing, never sign a bond with any company especially one that looks like will soon go down the drain.
You never can tell what God has in stuck, don't limit yourself by signing any bond.
And I keep saying any company that says you shuld sign a bond becos of a mere 5 day trip is not the bomb, what about companies that send u abroad for months and some years
My dear spread your tentacles.
I recently resigned from a company and the Md was threatning fire and brimstone,in that case i never went for training nor signed any bond so It was easy to move despite all the noise, so dont sign it o.

Dont worry about it, you can sign the bond, go for the training and nothing dey happen, no company will start chasing you about a stupid bond, they hardly have a case in court and they know it.

neyo7:

Dont worry about it, you can sign the bond, go for the training and nothing dey happen, no company will start chasing you about a stupid bond, they hardly have a case in court and they know it.

you think so really? but my signature is there as proof. couldn't i be charged for breach of contract? i really do think there'l be a case to answer in court. am not a lawyer so i'd like more suggestions.

@ poster,

There are some contracts that are not enforceable, just like the bond you are talking about. Before you sign any agreement there must be "meeting of the minds".
Incase you are forced to sign a contract because you could loose your JOB, then your company does not have any case, just like i said above.

Have a look at this link

http://consumer-law.lawyers.com/Contesting-Contracts.html

Bond is not strange in employment, even in oveasea. I am in HR and company don't really want to loose huge money and next you are gone. The bond we are saying here is you must stay with the company with a minimum of 2 years or you pay a pro-rated amount in lieu if such person don't stay. I still consider it flexible.

Hi Mikkyphp,

Life is in stages, it is always important to indentify the stage we are , this will go a long way to inform our decisions.

Stage1 : Some times we need others to carry us,
Stage 2:  some other time we need no one to carry us yet we can not carry anyone along
Stage 3 : Some other time we carry others.

In your career what stage are you? I once heard of a junior staff who was sent on a professional course meant for his superiors, he took it as a great privellege and that re-positioned him entirely in his field, for that reason he gladly signed the bond.

Now , this person need not sign any bond to be sent abroad the 2nd time, he has acquire adequate skill to face life. Just put, he is now in the 2nd stage. Note that the decision in the first stage open doors to the 2nd stage.  

Have you ever being sent abroad for training? For alot of companies they wait to plant were others have cultivated.
I have another friend who now works in a big telecom firm, this firm would rather bring people from abroad to train them, but he acquired the skill that got him that employment while with a small telecom firm that sent him abroad.

Check this two:
A) With-out a training/bond : Employee do not know if the company would sack him/her in less than 2 years.
B) With training/bond : The Employer does not want the employee to leave in less than 2 years.

Weigh it are u bold enough to say u are in the 2nd stage , if not READ the Below carefully?

1.) Think about how your contributions after this training can do your company alot of good.
2.) Have all this point of yours written , proving to your company that in no doubt they will get great value for the expenses in the shortest time.
3.) Examine the exit clause in the bond - e.g Pay 1Million if you leave before 2years. Do the course benefit outways this, does it position u for job opportunities of a very great offer.
4.) Explain your contraint in signing the letter earlier - Put this way a.) it came with urgency. b.) You needed professional guidance.
5.) Be bold to find out if there are other benefits for you from the company once you are trainned e.g Official car, better pay, e.t.c
6.) In all give your company the reason to believe you are very willing to serve them well even after training you, remember they are going to spend alot of money on u.
7.) Play it save before u sign, aleast get your Visa.

Wish u good

OK-Daniel

@okdaniel
thanks man for your analysis.
well i can rightly say that i'm in the second level as u put it in your scale. i've worked in 2 other telecomms firms in the past. my present employers have so much fate in me that i was sent over to abuja to start a branch office. due to admin mismanagement, a lot of things have gone wrong in my company. i stated it earlier in my post that and average of 2 people resign every month. my direct boss(also reject the bond) (one step ahead of me) is due to resume on the 15 of may in another telecomms firm in a very high capacity. he has promised me a job offer, as he'll be in charge of recruiting able hands for his department. - its a new outfit.
i can boldly say, i am good at my JOB.

forget dat thing called bond. Dont let anybody cajole u in d name of bond. Sign d bond and go for d training if u have opportunity to do so, nothing dey happen. They can never win u in any law court. I hope u will be bold enuf to do this. Never miss an opportunity for overseas training ooo esp when itz coming cheaply lik this. i am presently on training for about 2 years now outside d country without any bond, not even a day bond. a begi,

A breach is a breach. You will be lucky if your company decides to take it lightly if you want to quit after the training. Be careful with what you are fed here. Different strokes for different folks.

What if they reject your resignation and sack you instead? Weigh your options and turn down the training if your heart so tells you.

Kashif: A breach is a breach. You will be lucky if your company decides to take it lightly if you want to quit after the training. Be careful with what you are fed here. Different strokes for different folks.

What if they reject your resignation and sack you instead? Weigh your options and turn down the training if your heart so tells you.

this is an old thread but I hope to get a response. I also need advice on this training bond issue. Am a fresh graduate seeking for job. I got a bank job but was asked to sign a training bond for two years before resuming TS though am yet to sign it but I sincerely dnt know what to do. Have done interviews with other coys with better renumeration and welfare but their recruitment process seem to be very slow. Scared of loosing everything in d end. Positive response would be appreciated

mikkyphp:
yeah,
well since no one has defaulted in the past, i really dont know if i should go ahead. mind u, am not crazy about the UK travellin thing, just love ma freedom, and, i dont see a future in the company,

Hey,I stumbled on this thread today.Please what later happened?

StubbornGENIUS:
Hey,I stumbled on this thread today.Please what later happened?

After 12 years?

mikkyphp:
After 12 years?

Yes what eventually happened!??

Carfreak966:


Yes what eventually happened!??

The CTO threatened not to renew my contract. As I said, the company was falling apart, people were leaving, management was stalling and I eventually joined a new company in October of that year, same month my contract was due.

Never, ever sign a bond. Issues may arise, and management may urge you to do things that are not in accordance with your work responsibilities or career objectives, bias performance rating and many other things may occur throughout the bond period, and you will be unable to quit since you signed a bond.

Only poisonous businesses will tie you for a set amount of time.

mikkyphp:
The CTO threatened not to renew my contract. As I said, the company was falling apart, people were leaving, management was stalling and I eventually joined a new company in October of that year, same month my contract was due.

Please any job offer you can help me with, a graduate of B. Sc Ed Chemistry, have being teaching but want to switch to tech/IT.

I have some knowledge of coding.

abdulahi001:


Please any job offer you can help me with, a graduate of B. Sc Ed Chemistry, have being teaching but want to switch to tech/IT.

I have some knowledge of coding.

Get a Mentor in the industry you wish to pursue. Ask them questions and listen intently to their advise.
Also don't let Money be your primary motivation!

Hey!!
A brother signed a 2 year bond exactly six months ago with a Financial Institution. He has currently been offered a full scholarship to do his masters abroad. Leaving before the bond would attract 2m. any advice would be appreciated.

Sounds like Access Bank

mikeife01:
Hey!!
A brother signed a 2 year bond exactly six months ago with a Financial Institution. He has currently been offered a full scholarship to do his masters abroad. Leaving before the bond would attract 2m. any advice would be appreciated.