Work Contracts

[freshfruit]

Anyone know much about work contracts??
I was offered a job a couple of months ago, when I was unhappy at work with my professional development, (I was being held back because I was doing my current job too well)
So I accepted the new job offer and signed the contract - But as my current job pay is heavily weighted to a bonus I asked the new company if they could wait for 2 months till I got my bonus which they accepted. (They haven't yet done any references etc)

In the interim a lot has changed in the last 2 months, management has changed and the new manager is a good guy who will make things happen, also now I have mentioned I am to leave my current employer are offering the world for me to stay.

I am not the type of person to mess people about, but with things as they are I would now be better off staying. So the question is - once you have signed a contract of employment is there any way of getting out?? If so what reasons are suitable? and Is this the kind of thing that people do often, or am I being an arse considering it?

Thanks in advance.

James

[buildersmate]

The legal position is this. You have accepted an offer to start employment so that stands. Within your contract will be a term that allows you or the employer to terminate that contract giving notice. If it isn't mentioned in the contract then statatory provisions apply but in your career position I am sure something will be referred to (often one month's notice either way, but may be more). So the employer can ask you to deliver to the contract but on the first day you could resign and give the notice period.
Now any sensible employer if you approach them now citing a change of circumstances will just drop the whole recruitment. They won't like you for it, but unless you work in a close industry where everyone knows everyone else's business and personnel, what the hell? What comeback can there be for you?
Yes, I have done it - early in my career before I later became a Personnel professional who understood these things better. I accepted a new job then got a far better offer 3 days later, so told them I wouldn't be joining. Felt real bad about messing them about at the time.