Accepting a job offer may feel like the end of a long job search, but what happens when an unexpected opportunity comes along before you even report for duty?
A Malaysian jobseeker recently found themselves in this situation after withdrawing from a job they had accepted, only to be told by the company to pay a RM2,650 penalty.
Company allegedly demanded payment within one month
Sharing the experience on Threads, the jobseeker said the company demanded that the RM2,650 be paid within one month.
Failure to do so would allegedly result in legal action.
The jobseeker explained that they had not started working at the company when they received an unexpected offer to continue their studies.
However, they acknowledged that a penalty clause had been included in the agreement they signed.
In a reply, the jobseeker said they were originally scheduled to report for work on Aug 3, while their studies were set to begin on Aug 15.
Claimed JTK officer advised them to ignore the demand
In an update, the jobseeker claimed they had spoken to an officer from the Labour Department, commonly known as JTK, about the issue.
According to the jobseeker, the officer advised them to ignore the demand and allow the company to take legal action if it wished to do so.
The jobseeker was reportedly told that there was no attendance record showing they had worked for the company, despite having signed the letter of appointment.
They also claimed their withdrawal did not cause the company any financial losses.
The account of the alleged advice could not be independently verified.
Netizens divided over whether the penalty must be paid
The post, which gained more than 101,000 views, sparked mixed reactions among netizens.
Some agreed that the jobseeker should follow the alleged advice from JTK, arguing that taking legal action may cost the company more than the RM2,650 penalty.
Others warned that the signed agreement could still be legally binding, especially if the penalty clause was clearly stated.
One netizen suggested that the jobseeker formally decline the offer through email and attach the study offer letter instead of only informing the company through WhatsApp.
Another claimed that if the company successfully pursued the matter in court, the jobseeker could potentially be ordered to pay both the penalty and additional legal costs.
Ultimately, several commenters advised the jobseeker to carefully review the agreement and seek proper legal advice before deciding whether to ignore the company’s demand.
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