If I signed and sent a written job offer, but now changed my mind, can
I break it without any legal consequences?

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Request for Question Clarification by czh-ga on 16 Mar 2006 15:14 PST

Hello jenebol17-ga,

It is not clear from your question whether you represent the employer
and you sent a job offer to a candidate or you are a candidate who
changed their mind about starting a job that you accepted in writing.
Which one are you? Employer or employee? Thanks.

~ czh ~

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Clarification of Question by jenebol17-ga on 28 Mar 2006 09:30 PST

I'm a candidate, not an employer

Presumably you accepted a job offer.

In this case, you are theoretically liable to give your prospective
employers the period of notice specified in the job offer.

However, you might be able to claim some extenuating circumstances
that now prevent you from taking up the offer.

Or maybe, if you drop a very nice letter to the prospective employers
they may forego asking (or making) you cough up.

Good Luck!

Just don'e show up for work, they will get the message. They will feel
so poorly of you for not showing up that they will drop you like a hot
potato and won't come after you. Just do nothing. Don't answer any
e-mails screen all your calls with an answering machine and don't
callt hem back.

This depends on what state you live in. In NY, employment is at will. 
If you don't have an actual contract (most poeple don't), either the
employer or employee can terminate employment at any time for any
reason except reasons expressly prohibited by law (i.e. race, age
etc).  I think this is true of most states actually, but I don't know
that for sure.  However, if you live in NY, then its no problem.

Depends on the wording in the offer. Is it a "contract". Will there be damages? 

If you're the employer it could result in some consequences. With a
definite job offer most prospective applicants would stop looking as
well as turn down other offers.
If your the employee the employer would most likely not pursue any
compensation for damages, unless ,possibly, if its a critical
position. The would just go to the next candidate.

Just my two nickles worth.(inflation)

What is the reason you are now not accepting?  You are better off
verbally explaining your reasons and seeing what the reaction of the
company/personnel office is, and if the reason is acceptable, they
would much rather let you go than to have a disgruntled employee on
staff.  And you will eventually have to send a written declination of
the job offer.

4KEITH (I'm NOT a GOOGLE Researcher)
Accountant
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If you are the employer who wants to rescind an offer sent to a
potential employee, you should be discussing this with your company's
human resources department and the company attorneys.