Just rejected a "fully remote" job offer I had accepted, after they told me they would monitor my IP address to ensure I never leave the house.

After a four-stage interview process, I was very excited about this mid-sized fintech company. It seemed like a great fit for my skills and what I was looking for, so when they made me an offer with a 25% salary increase, I accepted immediately. Two days after I signed the offer, I got a call from HR and one of the VPs. They informed me that their 'fully remote' policy means I must work from my home address only. No working from a nearby coffee shop, the library, or even my partner's house across the country. They said they monitor IP addresses and VPN usage daily to enforce this policy.

Honestly, I was speechless. I understand the legalities around taxes or securing sensitive data, but to advertise a remote job and then pull this after I signed is a huge deception. The whole point of wanting a remote job is the flexibility, otherwise I'd just work from an office, you know? But this is where it got really wild. The HR person called me again and had the audacity to tell me it was my fault for not clarifying their exact definition of "fully remote" during the interviews. She then admitted she intentionally didn't bring it up because several other candidates had withdrawn their applications upon learning about this policy, and she "didn't want that to happen with me.'"So, of course, I rescinded my acceptance.

When I did, the same HR person told me this was a 'learning experience for both of us' and that she "hopes I learned my lesson" and 'won't string other companies along in the future." String them along? I'm still stunned by the audacity of them hiding a deal-breaking piece of information, admitting they did it on purpose, and then trying to pin it on me. Looks like I dodged a massive bullet with their work culture. Unbelievable.