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That us a big red flag.
That tells you that people often want to leave that company, and they try to force people to stay. It also speaks volumes about the management culture that rather than entice people to stay they try to make it difficult to leave and punish people for doing so.
Also it's likely illegal - if you work the hours it's your money.
It depends what your situation is - I'd only take that job if absolutely desperate and no choice, and keep searching for something better. I'd write off the half month salary but consider options on making complaints to get the money after I had something better lined up.
Even if everything else about the company is fine, I'd be very wary of the management culture long term.
Reminds me of this one place a buddy of mine used to work. They lease the building they operate out of, so that if the workforce decides to organize, they'll just let the lease run out. There's also only one entrance from the shop floor to the management offices, and it's got an armed guard posted at it.
Jesus Christ, did he work in the Gulag?
Close. The company was called Schneider Electric. The only good thing about them is that they offer extremely good healthcare to their employees, what's referred to here in the US as a "Cadillac Plan", because it covers the families of the employees, and it doesn't come out of the employees check.