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Is verbal agreement legally binding

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    Is verbal agreement legally binding

    Hi Everyone,
    I was offered an overseas role a year back and my manager agreed to certain terms verbally. I then followed it up with an email confirming those terms. However after moving overseas, he denied making any such commitment and states that he neither made any commitment verbally or otherwise. Does my email communication to him form a legally binding agreement?

    Thanks
    Krish

    #2
    If your email said something like:

    To confirm what we discussed, blah, blah, blah,

    and there's no email refuting / correcting, I think you have a good case!

    Comment


      #3
      Originally posted by krish222 View Post
      Is verbal agreement legally binding
      Yes. But how do you prove it was said?

      Originally posted by krish222 View Post
      I was offered an overseas role a year back and my manager agreed to certain terms verbally. I then followed it up with an email confirming those terms.
      Well done! Unless, of course, he produces a "What are you going on about?" reply email.

      Originally posted by krish222 View Post
      However after moving overseas, he denied making any such commitment and states that he neither made any commitment verbally or otherwise. Does my email communication to him form a legally binding agreement?
      With your employer? Possibly not. Your contract of employment (I assume you are employed rather than a contractor) will be with the company, not your manager. Whether your manager has the authority to agree terms with you will depend upon your contract and company policy. I suspect you are approaching employment tribunal territory. Have you tried going over your manager's head or to HR and saying you are being let down?

      Are you employed or a contractor? Either way, what does your contract say about changing terms & conditions?

      And what is the nature of the difference between what your manager said and what is being said now? Is it financial, e.g. expenses or safety related? It may be that your manager's opinion is immaterial compared to external rules.
      My all-time favourite Dilbert cartoon, this is: BTW, a Dumpster is a brand of skip, I think.

      Comment


        #4
        Originally posted by krish222 View Post
        I was offered an overseas role a year back and my manager agreed to certain terms verbally. I then followed it up with an email confirming those terms. However after moving overseas, he denied making any such commitment and states that he neither made any commitment verbally or otherwise. Does my email communication to him form a legally binding agreement?
        Yes, but if you subsequently signed a written contract then this will probably take precedence over the verbal agreement as the manager could put this down to "negotiations subject to contract" which never made it into the final contract.
        Free advice and opinions - refunds are available if you are not 100% satisfied.

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