Contracts

[say again]

you guys are all idiots.....the reason they can get away with training contracts is because you idiots agree to sign them.

stop doing it and training contracts will go away.

Its the company's obligation to pay to train me so I can use my superior decision making process in their airplane.

You are so cool. Damn, I wish I could have your "superior" flying skills to get away from signing a contract. It must be great having all the answers. :beer:

 

[brokeflyer]

it is

 

[say again]

it is

Having a sense of humor goes a long way in this industry! Well done.

:beer:

 

[FO4life]

I don't have a problem reading but do have one living with my 70 year old parents. Must be nice to have money to hold your standards. Good luck with your job.

 

[emspilot 01]

Training contracts....

I know the subject is very controversial among all pilots. Here goes my observation on signing training contracts. This is flamebait, but most pilots are wh@res when it comes to flying airplanes. The better jobs will never ask for training contracts. Companys wanting them are usually your low rent 91 operators, 135 bottom feeders or fractionals. The Regional and Major Airlines have training contracts too.

That's my take!

 

[acpilot]

How binding are training contracts? I have to sign one to keep my job. If I leave early I have to pay the full traing costs over a year. The total traing cost are 12k for a year. If I leave in month 3 I would have to pay 9k. Is there a way out of this. Im in a rock and a hard spot. I don't have that type of money, but I have a new job. I have been working at the place that has the training contract for 3 years.

Which state are you in?

 

[Nolife]

Everybody loses when a contract is broken. Do not sign the contract of you cannot honor the terms. Delay and find something else, even a step backwards career wise is better than fighting a drawn out legal battle which you may lose. It's stressful, costs more than it's worth, and you will lose sleep.

I left a company that had both initial and recurrent training contracts. They were a bottom dweller and pushing regs. I left. Told them I wouldn't pay recurrent but figure I owed them the remaining balance on initial and made an offer. They then wanted training costs plus hotel, food, and transportation costs. I delayed answering for so long that they got a lawyer and sued me. I delayed with the lawyer before finally getting my own lawyer. The two lawyers figured it out and 3 years later I paid much less than the company wanted but I still paid a hefty sum for my pay grade. The company lost more however once their lawyer fee was deducted from what I paid. Like I said it's a two way street and nobody wins. Bottom line- walk away.

 

[oops!]

if they're requiring it to allow you to remain employed it won't be held up in court. I got this from a labor attorney and I advise you to consult one also. It will cost them what the training does just to come after you so my 2 cents says screw them for employing these tactics. sign it to stay employed and walk away when you find a better job. If they decide to fight for it later then deal with it then. If they're gonna grab you by the balls call them out on it. This is definetly not a place you want to stay at but I understand we all have bills to pay. Recurrent is a part of doing business.

This is me assuming they're asking for a commitment for recurrent and not a new type or you're a new hire.

 

[gern_blanston]

I have left a job that had a training contract after 6 months (promised one thing, delivered another). They kept my last paycheck, but never came after me for the training.

I had another employer whom I had worked for, for a year, ask me to sign a promissory note for a new aircraft type that they wanted to send me to. I told them that I was trying to buy a new house, and that I would technically be required to list this as a loan on my mortgage application. I said that if I couldn't buy a house, I would have to look for work somewhere else, but if I went to the expense of buying a house, why would I leave? They sent me to school, and I left anyhow, because of the bad taste that had left with everyone when they sprung a training contract on us after having already been there.

I had another employer try to get me to sign a contract for a 135 recurrent (again, in the form of a "loan"). They sprung this on me after I had given notice at my previous job. I quit the day before going to recurrent, and they got upset. I'm sure that this employer would have tried to come after me (that's why I refused to sign).

If you sign anything, I would put (s.u.d) next to your signature. Then if they take you to court, I would explain to the judge that you were indicating that you signed under duress. Hopefully, your attorney could get the contract negated.

It has been my experience that companies that require a training contract, usually have to because they are crappy places to work. I would never stick around at a lousy job to satisfy a training contract. I would avoid signing a "training loan".

"s.u.d"? Seriously?
You sound like a real class act.
If you sign a contract, honor it.
If you don't like the terms, don't sign.
It's not rocket science.