Training Contracts

[b350capt]

I hate to throw this in, but seriously, if you're going to sign one, live up to your word. You signed a piece of paper saying you would stay for the length of the contract, and the company is saying they will invest training money. It's a matter of common respect and the value of your word. If you give your word saying that you will commit to a frame of time then your word should be enough to make you stay.

I agree that they shouldn't always be necessary, but don't resort to petty tactics and immaturity. And trust me, new potential employers find out if you ditched a contract and did not pay it back. It's sort of like going to GoJets from what I hear.

 

[subdubber]

Training contracts are scare tactics. If an empoyer thought you would want to stay for the duration, there would be no contract. If you are in fear of your life, a violation, or dismemberment, tell your employer to talk to your lawyer. Especially if they lied to you about the conditions of empoyment. True story, no settlement...its not if - but when...on to greener pastures...

 

[subdubber]

oh yea, my new employer told me to tell my previous employer to go fck themselves..thank you

 

[Seadogrun]

Ok so the honorable thing to do would be to stay in for the term of the contract. To me is seems perfectly honorable to leave early as long as you pay as stipulated in the contract. If you leave you are not breaking the contract, but paying your way out of it.

My employer doesn't make me sign a written contract however we have a verbal agreement that after a training event that I will stay for a year. I agree because I understand the employers perspective. If I quit right after $15K for recurrent training it would put the employer in a very bad position.

 

[Windsor]

I bailed early on a contract and dont regret it one bit. Even as they are threating legal action, I still stand by my decision to leave. A few months after I was hired they changed the schedule to one that had us home only 6 days a month. They also bold faced lied to me about it in order to get me to train on a second aircraft. The first day of training I asked the CP if any changes were coming, he looked me straight in the eye and said there was absolutly no change coming and I should forget about the rumors I'd heard. After finishing up training I went in to the office to have my 8710 signed, they told me they were changing the schedule to 5/2 12/2 from 9/5 10/4. Complete crap. Since that time its only gotten worse. They can take their contract and shove it right up their arses.

 

[b350capt]

oh yea, my new employer told me to tell my previous employer to go fck themselves..thank you

So what do you think they're going to tell you when something happens that they don't like. That doesn't sound like something a reputable employer would say.

Paying your way out of the contract is just fine. Some employers do lie and don't live up to their end of the bargain and that's a shame. I have turned down a good job opportunity before that wold have been a positve move because I was still in a training contract. Just seemed like the honorable thing to do, and I could not afford to pay the contract. But thats just me.

 

[BGSM]

contracts

I am currently in one but it was worded as a promissary note. I work for a good company and it was hard to make the choice to leave early. A note or contract is not a direct sign of a bad company. I am taking another job but will pay whats left, I signed they invested the money (more than the note) Yes some companies have you sign then you get screwed. I think there is enough info and resources on this board to know which ones to stay away from. Bottom line if you signed and want to leave for greener pastures then pay up!!

 

[smails]

How many other jobs out there require training contracts?

 

[TxPilot0878]

Many people require one and many people don't.....but landlover

who cares, if they are cheap enough to make you sign one, they won't shell out the money to hire a lawyer and enforce it. I haven't met one person that was summoned to court because of a training contract, and yes i know a few guys that have bailed on one or two.

You are under one.....that you signed....and I know plenty of guys from the company you fly for (THAT IS CHEAP ENOUGH)

if they are cheap enough to make you sign one

that got screwed!!!!!!....if your buddies haven't (assuming you have only been there for the amount of time you have been posting about Ameristar....they will....they just haven't been found)....they will get their time with TED I assure you!)
.....don't BE MISTAKEN TOMS BROTHER IS A LAWYER AND HE ISN'T CHEAP....ITS INHOUSE RATE....BABY!!!!!!!!

Sign it, Assume it, Live up to It,....then run like hell and get a real job!

Tex

 

[hammer2]

So what do you think they're going to tell you when something happens that they don't like. That doesn't sound like something a reputable employer would say.

Paying your way out of the contract is just fine. Some employers do lie and don't live up to their end of the bargain and that's a shame. I have turned down a good job opportunity before that wold have been a positve move because I was still in a training contract. Just seemed like the honorable thing to do, and I could not afford to pay the contract. But thats just me.

That was stupid. When you have a chance to get ahead in this business, you take it. Even if you pay out the arss!

 

[Publishers]

The other day when talking to a reputable aircraft management company, they mentioned that an individual that we were looking at had bailed and not fulfilled their training contract. It makes us look at that person different. We do require training contracts for type ratings, especially of new people with no track record with us.
More than a year ago, we hired someone who was flying a piston twin, gave him a jet rating under contract, he fulfilled it, left us for a bigger equipment job, but, may want to come back to us later for a Gulfstream job. If he had left us in the middle, we would not ever consider him for the better position. It is the difference to us of being a professional or just a driver.

 

[BGSM]

Buying out

If you sign one leave early and pay the prorated portion do some think this a negative thing I don't think I could find fault for some one who fulfilled there obligation by either staying the time or paying the prorated portion.

 

[Freight Dog]

I'm not necessarily against training contracts, but I think pilots who do sign them have to get something in return aside from just that type rating.

Many companies will not have any qualms with throwing you out on the street if they decide to sell their plane even though you might have made an honorable decision and decided to honor your training contract. Some may offer you a job later on when they get another airplane, but hey... are you willing to trust them? Are they willing to trust you by not making you sign a training note?

I'm one of the guys who decided to leave the previous gig because the position wasn't quite what was advertised - I made my intentions to leave known, but I also made it perfectly clear that I will honor my training agreement. What happened? The owner quietly hired and trained my replacement behind my back and one day simply decided to let me go - no warning, last day of the month which meant no insurance for me or my family the next day, he was nice enough to give me 2 weeks pay, but that's it... Mind you, I still had around 4 to 5 months of my training obligation, and I was honoring it - no lame writeups, no sick calls, nothing like that.

Fortunately, I was on LOA from my 121 gig and they were in the hiring mode. Even though I didn't necessarily want to go back to 121, I had no choice - I couldn't leave my family without medical coverage and COBRA was extremely cost-prohibitive.

The point is that signing a training note should also obligate the company that you shall be employed for at least the duration of your training note, barring negligence and the like.

 

[kamikaize]

AW.. Uncle Ted was disbarred over a year ago!!!! As much as you post I would of thought you knew that lol

 

[Mahi]

Uncle Ted moved on...

AW.. Uncle Ted was disbarred over a year ago!!!! As much as you post I would of thought you knew that lol

...Then they hired one of the biggest, most successful
law firms in Dallas. Don't F..k with your contract there. They've never lost a case... EVER (and there have been many). It's solid... stick it out, then MOVE ON... they expect you to. FYI