about agreement with employer

[jagdipmatharu]

Hi all,
I have MS degree and got with some employer in a hope to get job.
I am on F1 and now on OPT. I did not able to get job partly because of F1 status.
Employer asked me to sign an agreement which says that they will train me for 3 months and will pay for my living and good till my training is over and then they will place me somewhere as an consultant
They asked me to sign that agreement which says that i have to be with them for 2 years and i have to pay 20,000 USD if i leave before 2 years.

It is already 4 months and training was over a month ago. They still are not able to place me anywhere. I was very frustrated and want to go back to school for PHD.

My question is : Is is legal in USA for an employer to ask to anyone for signing such agreement or it was just to scare me so that i do not leave them. This ageement was on company's letter head.

What if i leave them now and join college? Will they able to give me hard time? Will they ask me to pay them 20,000 USD?

What if i get full time job? I will prefer to go for full time job instead staying with them as they will be taking some piece of my salary check every month.

What are they legal complications?

Please help

regards,
jag

 

[Dumeel]

Signing agreeement

I assume that you knew what u got into when you signed the agreement. I donot know what kind of percentage they are planning to take from ur paycheck if you get a job!!! Having said that they paid for ur training and other things and they want to recover the money (for their risk-taking) thorugh ur employment over a period of 2 yrs.. Since you signed it, it is binding on you. Think before signing any legal documents.

-Dumeel