I don't understand why everyone believes that it is the employers cost of doing buisness to type rate pilots for a position. Some of you guys need to understand that the owner of the company can and will do whatever he or she wants...pay for training, contracts, non industry standard salaries, selling aircraft out from under crews...need I go on.
If a company requires contracts for training costs...sign and fullfill the contract or PAY. And be happy to have your new type rating.
If a company requires PFT up front...PAY or go somewhere else and work. And be happy.
If a company pays for your training without a contract...do good work for them for a reasonable amount of time (year or two depending) and then if things don't work out...go somewhere else and be happy
If pilots are applying for jobs that require specific Type ratings or qualifications they don't already posess they shouldn't expect the company to pay for it without some sort of guarantee. Especially the way a lot of pilots job hop from job to job to job...why should all those companies pay for this kind of pilot's training.
And, yes, tanking a lower salary for the first year with a bonus at the end is a great alternative to up front costs. Try to just get a contract though with no reduction in first year salary. Better INMO.
Don't mean to ruffle feathers but PFT and contracts are not going anywhere, so lets all learn how to get along with them.
Fly