Ex Employer Demanding Tution Fee And Retention Bonus

Legal Help or Advice Requested...

I have been employed at my previous firm for more than 8 years. They sponsored my executive mba paying fee directly to the program and have pro rated claw back agreement i signed that i will pay full if i left or was terminated for cause within 1 year of graduation, 2/3rd within 2 years and 1/3rd within 1 year. Similary, for a retention bonus with 2 year claw back. I was terminated for cause recently with 5 months left on tuition fee and 2 months left on retention bonus agreements. While i do not agree on the cause and feel it is fully unjustified given the at will employment and based out of NJ no law firm is willing to take up the case due to no upside since it is at will contract. No Severance paid.

I have been trying to get them to waive off given the cause is not justified and i have not found a job yet for 6 months now. But the employer HR and Law team are very reluctant and want me to pay or get on a payment plan. I definitely have no funds to payback as the amount is 80k.

Can someone please advise what my options are.

can i request them to pro rate by month rather than year and ask them to waive off the tax break ( federal and state) they may have got on my fee within the outstanding amount.

Thank you.