New employer withdrew their offer :(

[newbailey]

Hi everyone

Name changed as I'm very embarrassed. I recently signed contracts for a new job and resigned from my old job. Both jobs have the same salary but new job was fully WFH.

Job was meant to start first week of December and I have already resigned from my old role. I took a few weeks off in between roles.

Anyway, new job contacted me and informed me that they are withdrawing their offer due to financial troubles. We've already signed contracts! My contract says that either party can give one week notice during probation period... but I have not even started work yet!

So, they asked me to email them a proposal with a day rate as a contractor for a few days a month but this is not what I want and I can't see how this would work.

I may be able to find another role within a few weeks but I'm gutted. Is there anything I can do? Has anyone been in this situation?

That is extremely inethical. You’re better of steering clear

I would phone ACAS for advice.

Ah sorry to hear it, I had it happen once when I was a student, quit my contact centre job for a Proper Work Job then the funding disappeared (charity sector), also around Christmas time ironically.

When my old job started getting reference requests in, they contacted me and asked if I wanted my old job back but I couldn't face it - I ended up applying for anything and everything, got a job with an agency I could start immediately (different contact centre) but also accepted a job to start a month or so later. It depends on your financial situation, I was a broke student but if you have savings you can afford to be more picky/skip the agency work stage. Or if you don't have savings, ask your old job for it back. If they haven't hired yet they might rather get you back!

Just take a bit of time to be gentle with yourself. It's nothing you've done, you still are as valuable as you were last week, you just need to put a little more work into finding the next career step. Good luck!

Will your current employer reinstate you? Worth a try.

Contact ACAS

Speak to your current employers - there is a chance they will take you back

I would be very wary of working for this firm, very unethical

Good luck OP

It's not that unusual sadly, I've read several similar threads on here. The jist of those previous threads was that there nothing you can do about it, the most you can probably ecpect is that they pay you for your notice period.

I had this happen during COVID left job end of Feb due to start new one mid march, it was organising conferences, we all know what happened there! Sorry this has happened to you. They might pay you the week which will help a tiny bit

This is horrible, sorry to hear this has happened to you but yes they've effectively given you more than the required notice they don't have to pay you or anything else.

How did you leave things with your old employer, was it good terms but you only left because you couldn't WFH? Could you see if they would re-employ you?

I would get my CV out there asap to look for a new role although if your sector is like mine be prepared that you might not be able to start before January as there is not enough work before Christmas

Ugh. If you would consider going back to your old job I would try them first. This is not your fault, you've done nothing wrong, you've no need to feel embarrassed.

If you go with the day rate thing you need good advice on how much to ask or you could sell yourself seriously short. It should be substantially more than a salaried role - if you're not embarrassed to ask for so much it's probably not enough! But it would include the premium for all your additional costs, holiday, sickness, arranging all the tax, and of course the massive factor that you are bearing all the uncertainty and risk. You could try for selling them a package deal, say 20 days at a time rather than as much flexibility as they like.

I would consider whether you could go via an agency rather than just diving in with a private arrangement. It depends how confident you are. But also they are just chancing their arm. If you are not keen, say no.

Can't you just revoke your notice?

This happened to me once. Luckily i was able to revoke my notice at my old company. I told them id made a terrible mistake and saw my long term future there etc. Luckily they took me back. The new job had a three month notice period which they paid me in full so I actually came off quite well. It sounds like you can only hope for a weeks pay from new place though. Definitely speak to current employer as soon as you can.

Thank you all so much for your replies.

I would not go back to my old job because the commute was an issue and this has not changed.

I'm just shocked about how unprofessional this is. At least I've found out now.

Technically they owe you one week's pay in lieu of notice as you had a finalised agreement.