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Is an oral agreement permitted to be broken without renegotiating it first?

Question:

At the time I was hired, my employer agreed to give me a set percentage raise each year. the first 3 years he gave it to me. After that he just ignored it. After a few years when asked. His answer was that according to NYS Labor Law, if there is no written agreement, it is considered Employment-at-will and he has the right to change his mind whenever he wants.

Is this permitted according to הלכה? Isn’t this in violation of לא יחל דברו?

Answer:

Answer from Horav Y. Flieshman shlit”a.

The employer is required to keep what he said when he hired you. It isn’t לא יחל because it isn’t a neder unless you are poor but the reason is because secherus poalim is effective al pi debur-if you want to read more see for example Pischei Choshen –Hilchos Secherus beginning of Perek 8

 

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