questions & answers

Question: Hello, I signed an employment contract stating I would give a 30 day notice or agree to forfeit any unpaid compensation. In this case it would be 2 weeks plus 14 hours. Since I resigned I have been antagonized to the point where I left after only 15 days post resignation notification. Are the employers permitted to withhold my salary under these circumstances?

Answer: The terms of the employment contract likely outline the rights, responsibilities, and processes related to termination of employment for both the employee and the employer – including under what conditions portions of the agreement are in effect. An employment law attorney would be able to review the employment contract and provide advice on the application of the contract to your departure and salary withholding. Arizona has a variety of free, reduced rate, or paid legal help options. Most free or reduced rate legal help programs have eligibility requirements based on income or type of legal case. To apply for free or reduced rate legal assistance, visit: https://www.azlawhelp.org/accessToJustice.cfm# and click on “Click Here to Begin the Interview”. Or, you may call (866) 637-5341 and use the automated system to see if you meet eligibility for free/reduced cost legal help. You may also contact Arizona’s free legal help programs directly: Community Legal Services serves La Paz, Maricopa, Mohave, Yavapai, Yuma Counties https://clsaz.org/office-locations/ DNA People’s Legal Services serves Coconino County and all of Navajo and Hopi Nations. https://dnalegalservices.org/contact/ Southern Arizona Legal Aid serves Apache, Cochise, Gila, Graham, Greenlee, Navajo, Pima, Pinal, and Santa Cruz Counties. https://sazlegalaid.org/connect-with-us/ Many Arizona Courts offer services or resources to help individuals that may be representing themselves in court. For court location and contact information, access to forms, live chat with law librarians, and legal information, visit: https://azcourthelp.org For help finding a lawyer, visit: State Bar of Arizona (statewide referral): https://azbar.legalserviceslink.com/ Maricopa County Lawyer Referral: https://maricopabar.org/index.cfm?pg=LRSHome Pima County Lawyer Referral: https://tucsonlawyers.org/ Yavapai County Lawyer Referral: https://yavbar.org/find-a-lawyer