Colgan Contract

[dnkt]

I just got a letter requesting me to appear in court for a training contract breach. I haven't worked at Colgan for over 3 years. I just wanted to give everyone a heads up that they are going after everyone for money. For all you new hires thinking about going to Colgan, please think twice. Three years ago this placed looked good to me and they made it sound all good. I didn't know any better, I was just a flight instructor looking to move on. Consider this your warning.

 

[Sawmill]

I just got a letter requesting me to appear in court for a training contract breach. I haven't worked at Colgan for over 3 years. I just wanted to give everyone a heads up that they are going after everyone for money. For all you new hires thinking about going to Colgan, please think twice. Three years ago this placed looked good to me and they made it sound all good. I didn't know any better, I was just a flight instructor looking to move on. Consider this your warning.

What kind of contract did you sign? Were you under any duress to sign? Do you think you do not owe the money you agreed to pay back if you left early? Do you normally back out on your word?

 

[TNHillbilly]

Thats the problem with a contract...usually you have to keep your word. I know that isn't considered important these days, but you probably should have thought of that before you signed.

 

[caneylane]

What kind of contract did you sign? Were you under any duress to sign? Do you think you do not owe the money you agreed to pay back if you left early? Do you normally back out on your word?

Tell that to a woman who is beaten daily, after she marries a man that never laid a finger on her. Sorry lady, you took a vow, now your stuck.

I guess it also makes it okay for airlines to hide behind a bankruptcy, and tear apart the very contract you were led to believe you would be working under when you took the job.

Try walking a step or two in a persons shoes before you lay judgement on them.

 

[PCL_128]

I just got a letter requesting me to appear in court for a training contract breach. I haven't worked at Colgan for over 3 years. I just wanted to give everyone a heads up that they are going after everyone for money. For all you new hires thinking about going to Colgan, please think twice. Three years ago this placed looked good to me and they made it sound all good. I didn't know any better, I was just a flight instructor looking to move on. Consider this your warning.

dnkt, get a labor attorney to look at your case. Chances are good that you'll be able to get away with not paying these scumbags anything. Most training contracts are completely unenforceable.

 

[Yodafly]

they have to treat all employees the same. If you signed knowing that they did not enforce in the past, then because that was your thinking on signing the document it not binding on you

 

[vectorvictor]

Before I hired the lawyer I would contact the company and see how much they would settle for. Its prorated from date of hire so if might not be that much to begin with. Settling out of court without the attorneys saves Colgan the cost of suing you and you the cost of defending yourself.

Other than pure principle or to prove a point I can't see why they are even suing you over 10-15k and I have trouble believing your story. It would be like me suing someone over $100. Its more trouble than its worth and my time and effort is better spent elsewhere. Even if they do win its probably going to cost them more in administrative costs to keep track of the payment schedule that the court will draw up based upon your current salary. If you refuse to pay its tough enough garninshing wages in divorce cases where kids are involved and dead-beat Dads refuse to pay. The state of NJ has gone so far as to refuse fishing licenses to parents who refuse to pay child support. They are going to win the judgment (you signed the contract) but forcing you to pay is near impossible. More than likely once the case is done they would then sell the debt to a collection agency for cents of the dollar and write off the debt.

Getting back to my original point; they get cents on the dollar for the debt so if you are really in this boat (and I really do doubt it) I'd negotiate a settlement with them directly. The last thing your FICO score needs is a debt in collection. You signed the contract so unless the contract is illegal in its demands, you are under the age of 18, you did it under duress, someone forged your signature or possibly that you are too ignorant to understand a year long employment contract you WILL lose the case.

On the bright side this type of training "fee" is tax deductible as a work related expense so after you pay only a percentage of the money in your settle ment you'll get a third of it back at tax time.

 

[rhino3040]

I just got a letter requesting me to appear in court for a training contract breach. I haven't worked at Colgan for over 3 years. I just wanted to give everyone a heads up that they are going after everyone for money. For all you new hires thinking about going to Colgan, please think twice. Three years ago this placed looked good to me and they made it sound all good. I didn't know any better, I was just a flight instructor looking to move on. Consider this your warning.

OUCH!!! Sucks for you man. I guess the Colgans never forget a penny left behind.

 

[vectorvictor]

they have to treat all employees the same. If you signed knowing that they did not enforce in the past, then because that was your thinking on signing the document it not binding on you

Not true. You don't HAVE to sue anyone when a contract is in place. Besides that the only way to prove it would be to get other people who have training contracts in place who WEREN'T part of the case appear in court and testify to this. If you weren't being sued for breach of contract why would you appear and say "Yes I broke the contract, I owe money, and I have not yet been sued for payment." You might as well write the check the same day and be done with it.

I currently have a tenant living in violation of her lease. She has a dog. I know about the dog but the tenant pays on time and is hassle free. The lease (contract) says she can't have a dog. Lets say for the sake of argument that I have another tenant that has a dog and the monster is wrecking the place. I sue to evict based upon the lease that says that she can't have a dog. Do you think the good tenant with the lap princess is going to show up in court and say that she has a dog and she is violating her lease and I am chosing not to evict her. I doubt it.

 

[Fred Rogers]

I had just started training for the job I've always wanted to do. I've been working for a scumbag flight school for 2 years for little or no money. Now I finally had my shot at getting away from debt with a real live career prospect. I had quit my job and signed on with Colgan. I was on the other side of the country form where I live and if I lost this job it would be their discretion whether or not to send me home. I could end up homeless in virginia becaue I can't even afford an airline ticket home and hitchiking is illegal and I don't want to break the law.

Is that duress?

 

[Fred Rogers]

I currently have a tenant living in violation of her lease. She has a dog. I know about the dog but the tenant pays on time and is hassle free. The lease (contract) says she can't have a dog. Lets say for the sake of argument that I have another tenant that has a dog and the monster is wrecking the place. I sue to evict based upon the lease that says that she can't have a dog. Do you think the good tenant with the lap princess is going to show up in court and say that she has a dog and she is violating her lease and I am chosing not to evict her. I doubt it.

Don't you have the option to ammend her lease to allow a dog?

 

[vectorvictor]

Don't you have the option to ammend her lease to allow a dog?

Yeah I do but I'm not breaking the law or violating her civil rights if I chose to let her break the contract.

 

[Mr Wu]

Yeah I do but I'm not breaking the law or violating her civil rights if I chose to let her break the contract.

But if your other tenant hears that you are not enforcing the pet clause of the lease she can use it against you if you bring her to court.

 

[PinnacleDude]

Before I hired the lawyer I would contact the company and see how much they would settle for. Its prorated from date of hire so if might not be that much to begin with. Settling out of court without the attorneys saves Colgan the cost of suing you and you the cost of defending yourself.

Other than pure principle or to prove a point I can't see why they are even suing you over 10-15k and I have trouble believing your story. It would be like me suing someone over $100. Its more trouble than its worth and my time and effort is better spent elsewhere. Even if they do win its probably going to cost them more in administrative costs to keep track of the payment schedule that the court will draw up based upon your current salary. If you refuse to pay its tough enough garninshing wages in divorce cases where kids are involved and dead-beat Dads refuse to pay. The state of NJ has gone so far as to refuse fishing licenses to parents who refuse to pay child support. They are going to win the judgment (you signed the contract) but forcing you to pay is near impossible. More than likely once the case is done they would then sell the debt to a collection agency for cents of the dollar and write off the debt.

Getting back to my original point; they get cents on the dollar for the debt so if you are really in this boat (and I really do doubt it) I'd negotiate a settlement with them directly. The last thing your FICO score needs is a debt in collection. You signed the contract so unless the contract is illegal in its demands, you are under the age of 18, you did it under duress, someone forged your signature or possibly that you are too ignorant to understand a year long employment contract you WILL lose the case.

On the bright side this type of training "fee" is tax deductible as a work related expense so after you pay only a percentage of the money in your settle ment you'll get a third of it back at tax time.

I don't think you understand the new Pinnacle guys that are moving in to run Colgan. We have seen it time and again at Pinnacle. They will take people to court just because they can. They will spend $1 to get a nickel. They will try and keep from paying you if they absolutely can. If they think they can get money out of you, shady or not, they will do their worst. Good luck to all in this unfortunate situation.