Throwaway for safety reasons
I was working at a US-based company on company travel here for a few months. I got a job offer from their Japan branch and accepted in email reply (without any contract ever mentioned). I didn’t go to office to sign anything physically yet since they wanted that on a (edit: later decided) starting day (April 3rd). Since that email, I moved all my stuff to Japan, quit my us lease, etc.
Today the company pulled the job offer after already doing the job for (edit: a little more than) a month (while being paid/covered by the US company still, being paid dollars, etc). But, my US/JP managers agreed that I start doing the job already for (edit: little more than) a month while waiting for the ‘paperwork and transfer part to catch up’. I don’t have a job at my US company anymore. (edit: I offloaded my remaining assignments and my replacement was hired).
I am now stuck in a rental 2 year contract and no job.
Am i fucked?
Edit: spousal visa.
Edit2: Having wife review rental contract portion of work. thank you for advice everyone
13 comments
When it comes to your apartment, I doubt you are fucked. Check your contract, it will let you know what you need to do.
My current apartment has no move out fee. I just have to tell them a calendar month in advanced.
Last apartment had a move out fee of ‘one months rent’ if contract was canceled before the 2 year mark.
I don’t have any further advice… but that sucks and I am really sorry that it happened to you.
This is a really rough situation, but please take a lesson from this. Never accept this sort of thing if it isn’t in writing. Don’t lift a finger until you sign something. Corporations aren’t your friends, and no matter how good you feel about a place, or how good they’ve been to you in the past, they don’t deserve or are entitled to your trust.
You come first and foremost in all things regarding employment.
Have you been replaced in your old position? American companies can be pretty flexible when one of their employees gets screwed by other departments, lobs, business partners, etc ..
First thing’s first, in Japan you can’t “pull a job offer”.
I don’t like the whole “lawyer up” kneejerk response peole tend to have to situations like this but in this case it would probably be worth at least getting a consultation. Under Japanese law you don’t actually have to sign something to have a contract, a verbal offer and acceptance is sufficient, as likely would be the email you received from them offering you the position. The fact that they had you working there for a month, paid you, and put the effort into making that happen shows intention on their part, and you moving all your shit here and taking out a 2 year appartment lease clearly shows you having accepted their offer.
1. Save all the emails and go to a place called “Hello Work.”
2. Get an english speaking labor lawyer.
3. Use LinkedIn or gaijinpot to find a new job in the meantime.
What’s dangerous about using your real account?
Uhm what visa are you on?
Really the only thing you might get out of this is by talking to:
1. A Japanese employment law lawyer.
2. Your old boss/final HR rep.
Likely the new boss fucked around somehow and is “firing you” due to his own fuck ups like not actually getting all the approvals necessary and stuff of that nature. Likely he’s not actually firing as far as HR is concerned but just not doing the transfer, so in effect you were termed by the US side. Due to that hopefully the US side met all the legal obligations or he might have fucked them as well.
Unfortunately I have seen this happen several times and I have no clue how the receiving manager thought it would work out. One time the receiving manager himself got released (because when stuff like this happens, someone’s getting axed) and the employee went to work for the new boss and was A-OK with everything. Another time shit hit the fan. Korosho got involved on this side and people got yelled at. In America, the lady sued us because they hired a British guy instead of her (she was Hispanic, so double protected class employee …) So California rolled us.
Probably you aren’t fucked except temporarily, but lawyer up.
You did have a contract.
Their email of acceptance, all the communication surrounding your transfer and the fact that you already worked a month are as legally binding as a “classic” contract.
Even verbal contracts are legally binding in Japan, just harder to prove and it’s easy to argue on the semantic, which is why we have written contracts.
Contact hello work or the bureau of labor, they will help you. The ones who are fucked is not you but the company (as long as you act on it).
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You’re on a spouse visa, so you don’t have to leave the country. Not sure what your status is with your employer exactly.. but if they don’t want you, do you really want them?
So firstly, an offer and acceptance of a job create a contract. A written contract, with details, would simply supersede that.
And there’s no employment at will in Japan.
They’ve now breached that contract. At the very least, you’d be entitled to damages for all the costs you suffer as a result.
You might want to consider talking to some unions, to see if they’d be able to do something for you, as they specialise in this area. Otherwise, talk to a labour lawyer about your options. Do this quickly, as time limits can sometimes apply to things.
Disclaimer: I’m not a lawyer
Are you trying to get your wife a US spouse visa?
were you trying to find a Job and move to Japan before this?