Re: To be clear...
The difference is simple. In one case you are advanced money for a contract that was cancelled, so you are not owed money for it and must pay it back. It's usually the sales person's fault for not firming up the deal properly in the first place. A firmed deal doesn't get cancelled. That's legal.
In the other case the deal is fine, but the employer is now saying he's decided to pay you less than was agreed, and since he paid you in advance he's now taking some back.
That's not OK on this side of the pond. And presumably not in the US either.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
