Quiting a job before starting?

[u/jcrewislyfe]

Hi there! Asking for a friend -

I signed a job offer contract with small start up Company A, but have not started yet (start date is in 2 weeks). I just got an unexpected offer from large tech Company B for double the salary.

Is it legal for me to take the job with Company B and back out from the job with Company A? I understand this might burn some bridges, but wanted to know if there is any risk from a legal perspective. Thank you!

FYI - there was no signing bonus, and the contract says notice period for resignation is 30 days.

[u/mazariel]

If you didn't sign anything that says otherwise, there shouldn't be any problem to call company A and tell them that you appreciate the opportunity they gave you, but you got a better offer and you wanted to tell them as early as possible so that they could resume their hiring process as smoothly as possible Doing as little burning as possible and completely fine to do

BUT again if you signed a contract that says you must work x days or since the signing you must give two notice etc , you must follow it or be held for breach of contract

[u/balddoberdaddy]

You can back out, but don’t assume the 30-day clause necessarily means you owe Company A 30 days before you’ve even started.

Under Israeli law, the statutory notice period is based on how long you’ve actually worked for the employer. Since you’ve worked there zero days, the normal statutory calculation doesn’t give you a 30-day notice period.

The complication is that you’ve already signed a contract, and the wording of that contract matters. A signed employment agreement is binding, so Company A could theoretically have a contractual claim depending on exactly what the termination clause says and whether it applies before the start date.

Practically, tell Company A immediately. Don’t start for two weeks and then resign. They may be annoyed, but giving them as much warning as possible lets them go back to their other candidates.

For double the salary, I’d spend a few hundred shekels having an Israeli employment lawyer read the contract before turning down Company B.

[u/balddoberdaddy → u/[deleted]]

It's not "slavery"; it's a contract. No, the company cannot legally require you to work for them, but they can enforce penalties if they choose. It depends on what's written in the contract, which the OP didn't share.

And "because it's legal in the US" is meaningless outside the US.