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Company A, which I was about to join, had some issues with my notice period for the current employer. They were ready to give me a fake work experience letter stating that I worked for them for the time I had been with my current employer. I was quite reluctant and spoke multiple times against this, but I was constantly pressured by them.

It came to a point where A was forcing me to work for them even before I joined them. I reluctantly agreed as it was a new domain entirely for which I had little to no experience. I thought it was okay to attend few meetings to get a hang of things and see for myself the team I'd be working with. However, during that knowledge gaining period, I realized there were a lot of inconsistencies between what was communicated to me before vs what I observed. I would have to work on weekends due to inefficiencies from the top. The delivery model too was quite weird, so weird, that they were ready to deploy a feature in a day when QA had not analyzed on it completely yet.

Looking at all this, I felt that it was best for me to say I was not going to join them as I prefer to spend my weekend time with my family and not cry about work then, something which they didn't tell at all.

I sent an email mentioning this. In return, I got a call, more of a personal attack than professional. They started threatening me by calling HR from my current employer.

I didn't sign any joining letter apart from the offer letter nor have I taken any salary. Do these threats make sense?

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    Did you already hand in your notice at your previous employer ? What did they need the "fake" letter for? Anything illegal or for fraud?
    – Hilmar
    Commented Apr 30 at 12:06
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    @NoMansLand - It's my understanding you didn't leave your current employment nor did you actually stay on as an employee to this new company, so what exactly is the problem?
    – Donald
    Commented Apr 30 at 15:34
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    "relieving certificates" -- So is this in India? Adding that tag is very helpful, as labor practices and document requirements are so unique/unusual there.
    – Daniel R. Collins
    Commented Apr 30 at 17:47
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    Since you already attempted to put in your papers, your employer is already aware that you were planning on leaving. Since your papers were not accepted, you haven't officially left your old employer. Unless I am missing something, the rejected new employer doesn't seem to have much to hold over your head.
    – stannius
    Commented Apr 30 at 18:59
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    The whole relieving-letter system -- part of India's attempt to make sure nobody is working two jobs, apparently -- seems from my non-Indian point of view to be institutionalized blackmail. I have stopped even trying to answer questions tagged "India" because I don't understand it and, I suspect, never will. Others may want to read up on this mess before attempting to give answers; what works elsewhere may not work here.
    – keshlam
    Commented May 2 at 17:30

2 Answers 2

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I would consider yourself lucky. It was great to learn about what a horrible work environment company A had prior to joining. Just don't speak with them again. Do not take their phone calls or answer their emails.

As far as the threats, there is really nothing that they can do. It is okay to consider other job opportunities and I am sure your current employer will not fault you for doing so. Company A wanted you to lie about work experience and you said "No". Good job for remaining honest.

Even though they are threatening you, there is really nothing that they can do to hurt you. Just ignore them and count yourself lucky.

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    I do agree with the advise, but still, it's probably based on a wrong premise. It sounds like op has a contract ("signed the offer letter") and a contract is enforceable via a court. So either you know something I don't which is missing here or your answer is reasoned with something that's simply false.
    – DonQuiKong
    Commented Apr 30 at 20:50
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    @DonQuiKong "a contract is enforceable via a court" I would be very surprised to see a court forcing someone to work for a company. The contract enforces the obligation to work if you accept payment (and that they have to pay you if you work, even badly), and the only punishment would normally be a court telling to to return the money you took but did not work for.
    – StephenG - Help Ukraine
    Commented May 1 at 1:45
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    @StephenG-HelpUkraine: That may or may not be true for India, but in other countries (definitely in Germany, and I would guess many other European countries), work contracts do specify notice periods. Obviously, nobody can physically force you to work, but you are liable for the damages arising from your breach of contract. That most companies won't bother because these damages are hard to quantify and prove is another matter.
    – Stefan
    Commented May 1 at 7:03
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    @StephenG-HelpUkraine as Stefan says, that's wrong in at least some parts of the world, probably most. @ Accumulation thank you.
    – DonQuiKong
    Commented May 1 at 7:15
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    @Stefan I'm not disagreeing with you, however most European contracts will also include some kind of probationary period at the start where the notice period is particularly short for exactly this kind of "this isn't the job / company / culture fit I hoped it would be" situation, meaning under such a contract OP could pretty much do exactly as they have described.
    – ThaRobster
    Commented May 2 at 8:56
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If Company A is calling your current Companies HR department and saying things that may or may not be true - I would be rather happy...

1: Tortious interference
2: Defamation and Slander
3: Probably some other workers rights

Those first two I am rather certain about - and it would give good grounds to threaten to sue and get a settlement.

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    Be careful with the second, unless you know what has been said; they might just tell them "xyz was supposed to start working for us, I hope shkle can do a nice job now that shkle remains with you".
    – paul23
    Commented May 1 at 10:00
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    Are you sure those options are available to someone in India?
    – Pyrotechnical
    Commented May 1 at 15:14
  • @Pyrotechnical That will most likely depend on how willing they are to bribe court officials - something the question asker here has not indicated one way or another.
    – Mark Amery
    Commented May 1 at 20:58
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    @TheDemonLord You are missing the point. It doesn't matter what the law says on paper without a properly functioning court system to enforce it; India lacks one. Just google and read Indians' experiences with their legal system. India is a deeply corrupt society; you may never even get a case heard unless you are willing to grease the palms of court bureaucrats, judges, or both. In such a society, suing - and thus also, credibly threatening to sue - is a course of action only available to those willing to indulge in corruption. An honest person threatening it is liable to just be laughed at.
    – Mark Amery
    Commented May 1 at 22:05
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    @mattfreake The India tag was added to the question after this answer was written - and not by the OP. I don't see if the OP has confirmed that it is, in fact, India, though commenters (perhaps correctly) guessed they were were in India from some things the OP said.
    – reirab
    Commented May 2 at 21:30

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