Relocation repayment agreements
Moving money with a payback clause. Wyoming caps it, New York and California set conditions, most states leave it to the contract.
Relocation repayment agreements usually ask for some or all of the moving costs back if you leave within a year or two. Few states deal with them directly.
| State | Relocation money | From |
|---|---|---|
| California | Only with conditions | January 1, 2027 |
| Colorado | Not settled | August 10, 2022 |
| Connecticut | Not settled | October 1, 2026 |
| Minnesota | Not covered | Any date |
| New York | Only with conditions | December 19, 2026 |
| Wyoming | Only with conditions | July 1, 2025 |
Every other state: no stay-or-pay law, so the contract decides.
- Wyoming is the only state that names relocation: for contracts from July 1, 2025 an employer can recover at most 100% of the cost in your first 2 years, 66% in your third and 33% in your fourth (W.S. § 1-23-108).
- New York lets relocation money be clawed back if you quit or are fired for misconduct, not if you're let go for another reason.
- California has no relocation exception. From 2027 a relocation clawback holds only if it's set up like a discretionary bonus that meets all five conditions (our reading of AB 1697).
If the clause asks for costs the employer paid straight to a moving company, ask for the invoices. You can't be asked for more than was spent.
This is general information, not legal advice. For your own contract, a lawyer or your state's labor department can tell you where you stand.
Sources
- SF0107, enrolled act, Wyoming Legislature, read November 8, 2026.
- Trapped at Work Act, New York State Department of Labor, read November 8, 2026.
- AB 1697, chaptered text (Chapter 889, Statutes of 2026), California Legislative Information, read November 8, 2026.