I had been seconded from my empoyer to complete nurse training education, i was paid a monthly wage while i trained under the condition that i returned to the company to work for 3 years.
The contract stipulated that the agreement was between myself and the company (and gave the company name).
I completed the training and returned in the post i trained for. After 6 motnhs i was offered a job elsewhere on a fixed term basis for 6 months. I wanted to accpet this post but did not want to leave the company i appraoched the managers who were also the proprietors and asked if i could change my workig hours to be able to do both. They would nopt allow me to do this and basicaaly said if i wanted to take up the post i would have to leave. To cut a very long story short i decided to take up the opportunity and acceted i was liable for the training costs (not knwoing what was in store). About a week before leaving the mangers apppraoched me and said they had the right to have all the money paid back to them in full (£12,000) and gave me 3 days notice to give them it in cash or bankers draft. Obvioulsy i was not in a position to do this. eventually they came round to me paying them back monthly exactly what they paid me.
After one week of leaving i returned to the company (still working in my new job) and did the shifts i originally reqested, in essence i never actually left. I have now been wokring there doing these shift for the last 8 months and remain in my now main empolyment and i have contiued to pay them back the money for these months also.
The owners have now sold the company and are now saying that this is a personal debt to themselves and say that i should coniune to repay them (into their personal bank accounts) untill the £12.000 has been repaid.
I feel really milsead by them as my original training contract/agreement sitpulated that it was between me and the company and i would never have agreed to be paid by them persoannly as a sort of loan.
I attempted to discuss this with one of the managers and rang him to ask if we could meet to discuss the matter he became quite abusive and threatening on the phone stating that if i stopped paying they would get CCJ’s and defaults agaisnt my name and also have my car repossed, this is very distressing as i need my car to be able to work in my main employment.
Do you think i have a case or should i just coninue to pay them back the money. i have kept the original contract, my request to change shifts, the wage slips from when i trained and the last 8 motnths rotas. Also i am not sure if the new company are aware of the situation.
I would be really grateful for a any advice anyone has.
samantha hemming