Hi all, I currently work for a really shitty, family-owned, toxic, small business. Long story short, the boss is a manipulative, homophobic, religious nutjob. I've worked here for 3 months and just landed another (better) job.
The boss found out I received another job offer the other day (he snooped in my computer while I was in the bathroom and opened my personal email, I'm pretty sure). After that, he sent his entire family to intimidate me into staying, never admitting that he knows about my job offer through his snooping. I'm basically the backbone of the company's marketing efforts and I'm really good at my job, which is why they so desperately want to keep me on board. He keeps talking to me about how this job is such a good opportunity, I should feel lucky to have my position, and that I'll regret leaving if I do… He even said he wants to lock me in a cage so that I can't leave (???)
Anyways, I want to hand in my resignation but I need to get that last paycheck to pay off my debts before my start date (October 10) at my new job. The employee handbook had some kind of policy saying that employees need to give a 3 weeks notice or else the company will withhold the last paycheck to pay for finding a replacement… is this legal? Any advice or suggestions? I thought that withholding pay for employees is always illegal but I'm not sure. I live in Maryland if it helps. I wouldn't bother with a notice at all if it wasn't for this dumb policy.