Declined A Job Offer Before My Start Date After Relocation Was Set Up — Now Being Asked To Repay Around $4k. Do I Actually Owe This?

Location: Chicago,
Job location: Texas

Earlier this year in April, I accepted a job offer that included a relocation package. The company used a third party relocation management company to coordinate everything. Through them, I selected temp housing and had a vehicle shipping agreement set up in my name, but everything was arranged and billed directly to the employer — not me. I never paid anything out of pocket and never received any cash.

Here's the timeline:

**• April 17** — Signed the offer letter and relocation repayment agreement **• Early May (May 6)** — Before my start date, I formally declined the offer in writing and notified the employer. At this point nothing had started yet **• May 22** — Vehicle shipping was scheduled to begin (never happened, was canceled) **• May 23** — Temp housing was scheduled to begin (never happened, was canceled) **• My start date would have been late May/early June** 

So I gave roughly 17 days notice before any service was supposed to begin. Nothing was used. I never moved. I never entered the temp housing. My vehicle was never shipped. I never received any cash bonus or reimbursement.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago — the third party relocation company sends me an invoice for around $4K claiming I owe repayment for "relocation costs incurred."

I did sign a relocation sign-on bonus and repayment agreement. However the repayment clause specifically states it only triggers when an employee "voluntarily resigns employment." I never started employment — I declined the offer weeks before my start date. You can't resign from a job you never started.

The temp housing policy itself also states it is provided "if the candidate's new residence is not available at the time s/he commences employment." I never commenced employment.

My questions:

**•** Has anyone been through something similar — declined before starting after relocation was set up? **•** Does "voluntarily resigns employment" legally apply to someone who never started? **•** Am I actually liable for costs that were never used and that I gave 17 days notice to cancel? **•** Did the company or relocation vendor ever drop it or pursue it further? 

Not looking for formal legal advice, just want to hear from people who've been in a similar situation. Thanks in advance.