I have a question about the legal implications of accepting a job offer and then deciding against taking up the job.
I have an offer from a Swiss company that I accepted via email. Now I have changed my mind and am thinking of moving back to the US. At this point I have not yet signed any contract with the new employer, but I hear that even a verbal agreement is binding in CH. Is that true?
If I were to change my mind now, what would the repercussions be? Would I be liable for some monetary amount?
If the acceptance e-mail is binding - that needs to be clarified from someone else. Then you can quit by sending a certified "Kündigung" letter. Since you are in your "probationary period", your quitting time is (unless otherwise stated in the contract or e-mail attachment you accepted) one month.
The earlier the better, maybe the employer would let you off if you react sooner than later.
Email acceptance and verbal acceptance are really not the same thing...
Send another one saying you decied not to take the job, any case you can go in on first day and say you don't like it and quit after one wek under your probation period.
I guess this may put the company off hiring unreliable foreigners for a while, but i wouldn't worry too much about that, we'll learn to live with it.
Notice during probation period is 1 week, after probation in the first year is 1 month, from year 2 to year 9, 2 months & over 10 years is 3 months. Of course the contract could say 3 or 6 months but if nothing has been discussed the standard notice laid down in law will apply.
We recently had someone accept a position in our department and then change their mind. Until a contract is signed by both parties, there's not a lot a potential employer can do.