If my current employer offered me a $2.25 an hour raise to not accept another job offer but he then only gave me $1.25, what are my rights?
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If my current employer offered me a $2.25 an hour raise to not accept another job offer but he then only gave me $1.25, what are my rights?
My current employer offered me a $2.25 an hour raise (in writing) to not accept another job offer. Now that I’ve turned down the other job he only gave me a $1.25 raise. Also, he had been paying me monthly profit sharing for four months he decided that since he gave me a raise he was going to pay me any more profit sharing. Is there anywhere in Missouri that I can file a complaint against him?
Asked on June 27, 2012 under Employment Labor Law, Missouri
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 11 years ago | Contributor
Under the theory of promissory estoppel, if person A represents (promises) something to person B, knowing that person B would have to due something to his/her detriment (like give up another job opportunity) to act on that promise; it is reasonable for person B to rely on the promise (so there's no reason to think it's not good); and person B does in fact rely, to his/her detriment on the promise. then person A may be estopped (or prevented) from disclaiming (or not honoring) the promise. If your employer promised you a certain raise to take another job and you gave up that other job because of the raise, you may have grounds to sue your employer to force the employer to honor the promise. You would have to sue to enforce it--that's the only mechanism.
As to profit sharing: unless there was either a contract or grounds for promissory estoppel (as above), the employer could discontinue it.
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