Retiring while STILL UNDER CONTRACT????

Several of my staff members have just announced they're immediately retiring at the end of the season despite having 2 years left on their contract. I had to give them increased wages for them to agree 3-year deals, and now they can just ignore them?! Surely they should have to pay an early termination fee just like I would if I wanted to get rid of them early.

This is an overreaction. As long as you give notice, there's nothing an employer can do.

Um yes, staff can retire partway through a contact. Same as players can.

Surely they should have to pay an early termination fee just like I would if I wanted to get rid of them early.

They're loosing 2 years of wage. You pay them the length of their employment. Just like if you terminate their contract, you pay the the wages they're signed up for in a lump sum.

Can you imagine going into your job, handing in your notice, and your employer saying "oh yeah fine, but you'll owe me 20k.....", I don't think so.

My contract has a one-month notice period, which is standard (exact length may vary) in all UK contracts. Players in many professional sports in the UK have this as well, but footballers probably don't at the higher levels. I would be surprised if this wasn't standard in the majority of staff contracts as well.

In Australia, the length of notice depends on the service you've given the business.

> 1 year - one week.

< 1 year but > 2 years - two weeks.

< 2 years but > 3 years - four weeks.

I think that's how it works, could be wrong. But I know it definitely depends on the length of service.

In Australia, the length of notice depends on the service you've given the business.

> 1 year - one week.

< 1 year but > 2 years - two weeks.

< 2 years but > 3 years - four weeks.

I think that's how it works, could be wrong. But I know it definitely depends on the length of service.

I think you want all of those inequalities to point the other way...

I think you want all of those inequalities to point the other way...

Doesn't the opening face towards the bigger number? This is the one thing with maths that always confused me.

I always got told "the crocodile is greedy and wants to eat the bigger piece, so it faces the bigger number."

Doesn't the opening face towards the bigger number? This is the one thing with maths that always confused me.

I always got told "the crocodile is greedy and wants to eat the bigger piece, so it faces the bigger number."

It helps if you add "Service Length" on the other end of the inequalities

eg Service Length < 2 years but Service Length > 3 years which means service length less than 2 years and service length greater than 3 years

Doesn't the opening face towards the bigger number? This is the one thing with maths that always confused me.I always got told "the crocodile is greedy and wants to eat the bigger piece, so it faces the bigger number."

It does but that's not what you've posted.

3 is more than 2

3 > 2

If the contract is more than 2 years

If the contract is > 2 years

AH balls, I see my mistake haha. Ah well, rudiemntary math has been my downfall

Several of my staff members have just announced they're immediately retiring at the end of the season despite having 2 years left on their contract. I had to give them increased wages for them to agree 3-year deals, and now they can just ignore them?! Surely they should have to pay an early termination fee just like I would if I wanted to get rid of them early.

Not how that works bud! Never has and never will. A player or staff member can sign a 10 year lucrative contract and then retire after the first season of it. You don't owe them anything and they don't owe you anything. You paid them for that 1 year they completed, and that's that. You can't tell a guy when they can or can't retire, regardless what type of contract they are under - Labor laws.

Not how that works bud! Never has and never will. A player or staff member can sign a 10 year lucrative contract and then retire after the first season of it. You don't owe them anything and they don't owe you anything. You paid them for that 1 year they completed, and that's that. You can't tell a guy when they can or can't retire, regardless what type of contract they are under - Labor laws.

So then how come I can't terminate the contract early without paying them off? Clearly I do owe them something, the amount of money agreed upon, and in return they owe me the amount of time agreed upon? Nobody made them sign up to it.

So then how come I can't terminate the contract early without paying them off? Clearly I do owe them something, the amount of money agreed upon, and in return they owe me the amount of time agreed upon? Nobody made them sign up to it.

Are they good enough to keep until they retire?

If they are then wait for them to go then replace them .. you're not losing out financially are you?

So then how come I can't terminate the contract early without paying them off? Clearly I do owe them something, the amount of money agreed upon, and in return they owe me the amount of time agreed upon? Nobody made them sign up to it.

FM is accurately representing what would happen in real life. Perhaps you should sign up to an employment law forum and complain there.

So then how come I can't terminate the contract early without paying them off? Clearly I do owe them something, the amount of money agreed upon, and in return they owe me the amount of time agreed upon? Nobody made them sign up to it.

Take it up with your congressman or MP or whoever

So then how come I can't terminate the contract early without paying them off? Clearly I do owe them something, the amount of money agreed upon, and in return they owe me the amount of time agreed upon? Nobody made them sign up to it.

What money do they owe you? They owe you absolutely nothing since they got paid for their service already and not a day more. So, you can't take back that money. There is no money that has not been earned that you can take back. You have not paid them yet for that remaining contract, so what money would they owe back to you? Say you sign a staff/player for 5 years/5 million total...so 1 million per year. And then he retires after the 2nd season. You can't take back that 2 million since he has earned it already. He fulfilled 2 years, so 2/5ths of that contract is rightfully his. You have not yet paid him the remaining 3 years. He has then retired. What money can you possibly think he owes to you? You do realize that the staff/players do not get their full contract upfront right? They receive what they have earned.

Now, if you were to terminate him after year 2 of his 5 year contract, on top of the 2 years you have already paid him, you owe him a percentage of the remaining 3 years you have promised him. When you offer him the contract, YOU are promising him that set amount of X amount of money over Y amount of years. When HE signs that contract he promises his service for that X amount of money over that Y amount of years. HIS penalty for not fulfilling the full length of his contract is simply losing out on the total amount of money he can earn. In that situation, you have NO penalty and have lost NOTHING financially due to his retirement. You don't owe him the remainder of his contract.

It is like this in every sport around the world. It is no a video game glitch lol. This is real life labor laws, even contractual agreements outside of sports.

To put simply:

Situation 1: Player/Staff retires prior to the end of his contract

Details: Contract states 5 years length, 1 million per year for a total of 5 million. Staff/Player then RETIRES at the end of year 2.

You(Owner): You do not have to pay the remaining 3 years. You cannot take back his previous 2 years of wages since he has rightfully earned that.

Him/Her: Fulfilled 2/5 of that contract and have already been paid that amount. They earned it and do not have to give it back. They lose out on remaining wages. Yes, by signing that contract, he has agreed to give you 5 years of his service. Now, if contracts were fully paid out on day, then you have a point. But they aren't. They are paid out on a weekly/per game basis. They get paid at the end of that week, not the beginning. They get paid the percentage of the contract that they have fulfilled. You have not given them money they have not earned and can rightfully claim. If they retire, they simply lose out on the money they could have earned.

Situation 2: Team terminates staff/player's contract prior to the agreed length

Details: Contract states 5 years length, 1 million per year for a total of 5 million. Team then TERMINATES contract at the end of year 2.

You(Owner): You have signed a contract promising to pay him 1 million per year for a 5 year period. You have broke that promise. But, labor laws require you to pay out the remainder of his contract. In most cases across all sports, you don't owe him 100% of that remaining contract. Some percentage is figured out. But in some cases, and some sports, you do owe them 100% of the contract. You made a promise and broke it. He then loses out on money, thus why you must pay him out a percentage of his remaining contract.

Situation 3: Player/staff is under contract, is not retiring but does not want to play/or be a staff member with the team anymore.

He is under contract with your club. You own his rights. He does not want to be there anymore. In most cases the team will then sell/trade him. Some cases the team refuses to sell/trade him. He can refuse to play, but he cannot leave for another team since he is under contract. He can then still refuse to play. Basically benching himself and even refusing to show up until you sell/trade him or terminate his contract. In that situation, the club can then fine the player for every day/week he misses. Basically they may fine him for his wages, meaning you are not paying him his contract due to his refusal to show up. Then, in this situation, because he wants to leave so bad, both parties may agree to a termination settlement. Highly doubt you will ever be able to reach an agreement where you don't owe him anything from the mutual termination, but it will be significantly less than if you were to terminate him outright without his knowledge of it. (fyi...you will see the "mutual termination" option on the game)

Another fyi: These are not just random rules programmed into this game. And these are not just rules for European/World football. But rather, labor laws that are in effect in every single sport in the world. They vary across different sports, but these are the underlining rules. Where you will see differences is the percentage you owe the staff/player when you cut them short of their contract end date.

The full contract is not given the day of the signing. In fact no part of the contract is given at that point. They have to earn that contract in order to pocket those wages. The only thing they would get at the time of signing is the bonus, and that has absolutely nothing to do with their X wages over Y years. It is money you are giving them upfront that has nothing to do with salary caps nor wage budgets.

Here is the US, there are a set amount of games in a season. It is different in European/World football since there may be an increased amount of games due to cups/champions leagues, etc. But, here in America, their contract is paid out PER REGULAR SEASON GAME. They do get paid during the playoffs per game but that is a bonus on top of their contract. So, in the NFL, there are 17 regular season weeks (16 games and 1 "buy" week). Players/staff get payed 17 times person. How many weeks they are in the playoffs, that number grows. So, say an nfl player/staff signs a 2 year 17 million contract. That is not 17 million per year but rather 17 million paid across two years. Basically, 17 million paid out over 34 regular season games. So, they are getting paid 500k per game. They get that money AFTER the game. They are not getting it before because they have not earned it. If they decide to retire at the 1st season of that contract, they are not owed anything and they do not owe you anything back. You have not paid them for games they have yet to play. So, what money do they have of yours? They played one season out of the two, earning half of that contract. That is their money. You paid them out that portion over the 17 weeks of the season. You have not given them a penny that they have not earned, thus there is not a single penny they owe you.

The problem with this though is that they negotiated higher wages in return for longer-term contracts. They were effectively on a pre-paid loyalty bonus scheme.

The problem with this though is that they negotiated higher wages in return for longer-term contracts. They were effectively on a pre-paid loyalty bonus scheme.

So don't give longer term contracts to those that may retire? They didn't put a gun to your head.

So don't give longer term contracts to those that may retire? They didn't put a gun to your head.

If I have to honour the amount of money involved should they wish me too, then why don't they have to honour the amount of time involved if I wish them to? It's completely weighted in their favour. They can cancel their obligations whenever they please, but I have to fulfil mine?

If I have to honour the amount of money involved should they wish me too, then why don't they have to honour the amount of time involved if I wish them to? It's completely weighted in their favour. They can cancel their obligations whenever they please, but I have to fulfil mine?

You are struggling very hard my friend. Clear you mind. I explained it very well in my long response.

Secondly, this is something you have been thinking about over what? a few weeks? There has been lawyers that passed these laws over decades of meetings and negotiations. This is how they are. This is why there are player unions. This is why there are labor unions. I know you are struggling to understand this, but you are not correct, and won't be. These are LAWS that have been in place for a long time and put together by very experienced lawyers.

Also, this comes down to basically accounting principals and the accrual method. They owe you absolutely nothing since there isn't a single penny in their pocket that they have not earned. You owe them nothing because they have not provided their service promised to you.

The problem with this though is that they negotiated higher wages in return for longer-term contracts. They were effectively on a pre-paid loyalty bonus scheme.

Nope, not at all. The guys is RETIRING. I promise you that he is not retiring to get out of his contract with you lol. If the guy isn't retiring and simply doesn't want to be with the club anymore, then that is a completely different situation. But I explained that in my response as well. He basically has no choice but to fulfill his agreed upon contract unless you and him reach a mutually termination.

I explained all of this very clearly in my long response. Read it over a few more times.

If I have to honour the amount of money involved should they wish me too, then why don't they have to honour the amount of time involved if I wish them to? It's completely weighted in their favour. They can cancel their obligations whenever they please, but I have to fulfil mine?

Alright, we get it. You miss the halcyon days of 1860's America. Unfortunately, employment law has moved on since the days of the confederacy.

There are penalties for both parties.

Owner Penalty: Owner pays a % of what he promised.

Player/Staff Penalty: Opportunity cost. Loses out on money he would have earned.

The player/staff penalty is much great than the Club's penalty. A single human being losing out on a few million dollars is significantly harder to take than a billion dollar entity losing out on a few million