My Dream Job Seemed Perfect—Then It Got Me Into Legal Trouble

Building a career and then landing the perfect job seems to be a thing of fiction. But sometimes we get it right. Other times, we end up in toxic workplaces that have a way of affecting our mental health and lives very negatively. One of our readers shared their experience.

This is Kerry’s story.

Dear Bright Side,

I had a tough time growing up, but after years of working hard and proving myself in different companies, I finally landed my dream remote job. They advertised everything you could possibly ask for. A sign-on bonus, company-paid qualifications, and relocation assistance to their state.

The job seemed perfect, so I immediately signed the contract. It was the worst mistake of my life. I always pride myself on reading important documents and looking for potential pitfalls, but I was so excited to start that I couldn’t be bothered this time around.

The second I returned the signed contract, they paid the sign-on bonus and sent me a few potential apartments to look at. I was over the moon. It seemed to be 100% legit. So I packed my bags, and within a month, I relocated.

I started working and completed the 3-month probation period. But right after that, things took a turn and became unbearable. I was constantly working overtime, they expected me to be online every weekend, and we were being micromanaged to the point where none of us knew what was going on.

But I pushed on and did as many courses as I could because I needed the certifications. They let me to a point. Then I was asked to give the time I spent on courses to the company instead. I told them that I needed some free time, and they assured me it was just temporary. It wasn’t.

After 3 months of nonstop work, I started burning out, and my work suffered because of it. So I got a call from HR. They wanted to know why my productivity had dropped, and I was honest about it. I poured all I felt out into the open and told them I wanted to quit.

The lady from HR said, “Then you had to do this.” I nodded, but then my face went pale when they pulled out the contract and pointed to the termination section. It said that my contract is valid for 2 years, and if I resign, I will have to repay everything from my bonus to my courses and my relocation.

Together, it came out to thousands of dollars. Way more than I could afford at any given point in my life. I asked if I could pay it back in sections, but they refused. Apparently, I either have to stay for the full 2 years or I need to pay. And I still have a year and a half to go.

So, Bright Side, please help. Is there a way for me to get out of this contract without ruining myself financially? Or do I just have to suck it up for the next year and a half?

Regards,
Kerry H.

Some advice from our Editorial team.

Dear Kerry,

Thank you for reaching out and sharing your story with us.

Your leverage isn’t quitting. It’s forcing them to terminate you without triggering repayment, and everything you do from this point should quietly aim at that. Stop having emotional, honest conversations with HR. Those only help them.

Instead, start documenting everything that violates what you were sold: the “remote” job turning into constant overtime, weekend availability that was never specified, micromanagement that makes targets unclear, and being pressured to “give back” personal time spent on company-paid courses.

Those details matter because they point to material misrepresentation and changed working conditions after relocation, which is exactly where clawback clauses become vulnerable.

Get a copy of the full contract and highlight anything vague around hours, availability, performance metrics, and training obligations.

Then take that documentation to an employment lawyer before you resign, and ask specifically whether constructive dismissal applies in your jurisdiction. If it does, they can’t enforce repayment because they effectively broke the agreement.

In the meantime, stop volunteering extra hours, work strictly within what’s written, and let performance be evaluated against unclear standards.

Companies that rely on clawback traps often back down the moment legal language appears, because they know these clauses only work when employees quit quietly. Your goal isn’t to “suck it up.” It’s to make staying legally uncomfortable for them without giving them the resignation they’re waiting for.

Kerry finds herself in quite the predicament with this job. She needs to find out if there’s a reasonable way out of this, otherwise she’s going to be stuck.

But she isn’t the only one with workplace drama. Another one of our readers shared their experience. Read their story here: I Was Forced to Quit My Job After 8 Years for Saying “No” Once.