They use it to lock you into a military-type enlistment contract for one-year stints. They do this to make sure it hurts if you quit, because they know if they don't every new manager will quit in less than six months. They can also garnish your wages at your next job, and they've been known to this in the past to recoup relocation costs.
Supposedly if you're involuntarily terminated you don't have to pay back the relocation. The easiest way to do this is to violate the attendance policy.
after you bend over the second time, or is it the third. don't tell your wife. good luck on your next job
I agreed to move, but I didn't take the package and got a cheap apartment instead. When I quit they couldn't say or do anything, even though they made noises about recovering travel costs. When I explained that I could prove all travel for UP was directly related to work they stopped.
If they try to get you to pay back work-related travel expenses you should refuse. If they withhold pay because of it contact an attorney.
The easiest thing to do is to say "I don't want to be here, will you commit in writing that I don't have to repay the relocation". You'll be out the door in typical UP fashion, and you won't repay. I know someone who did this.
No, just drink the kool-aide
Sounds almost like you have to join a cult.