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No compete contracts
Life in Workforce Management
No compete contracts
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I have another question. I have an interview next week at a staffing agency and the manager there told me that he has everyone sign "no compete" contracts. Now he didnt specify how long the terms are
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Forums » Topic Forums » Life in Workforce Management » No compete contracts
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No compete contracts
posted at 4/14/2001 4:51 PM EDT
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Posts: 81
First: 7/6/2000 Last: 6/10/2010 |
I have another question. I have an interview next week at a staffing agency and the manager there told me that he has everyone sign "no compete" contracts. Now he didnt specify how long the terms are but I am a little concerned about burning my bridges, so to speak. What is your take on them? |
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No compete contracts
posted at 4/19/2001 9:14 AM EDT
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Posts: 280
First: 6/22/2000 Last: 10/13/2002 |
They are perfectly legal (within certain boundaries) and many, perhaps even most, companies use them in some form or other. Basically they require employees to not work for their competitors while working for them, or for a period (up to a year) thereafter. This is because they don't want you (the employee) to take the special knowledge you learned while working for them and give it away to their competitors, nor do they want you to take their clients away with you when you leave, either to a competitor, or to set up a competing business of your own. "Competitor" is a key word here - a competitor for a staffing agency would be another staffing agency who is in the same geographical area and who specializes in the same type of staff - these two agencies would be competing for the same customers. However, a staffing agency specilizing in nurses in one city is not a competitor of an agency specializing in IT staff in a neighboring city. |
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No compete contracts
posted at 4/20/2001 2:18 AM EDT
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Posts: 81
First: 7/6/2000 Last: 6/10/2010 |
Thanks for your reply. I understand that they are perfectly legal and even necessary as well as the basic terms of a non-compete contract. I guess I am just concerned as I don't want to "burn any bridges" so to speak. The concerns I have lie in the fact that I am basically not relocatable and if I accept a position with a non-compete contract and then subsequently leave for whatever reason down the road, my job search would be in the same geographical area. Jobs in HR in this area are pretty few and far between and I am not sure that I want to eliminate an entire segment of the market by "signing on the dotted line". See my dilemma? Consequently, I did interview for this position and struck a great rapport with the HR manager. Needless to say the interview went very well. I guess that the lesson learned here for me is that if the company is worth working for to begin with, then the non-compete contract shouldn't matter, right?
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No compete contracts
posted at 4/25/2001 1:09 AM EDT
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Posts: 280
First: 6/22/2000 Last: 10/13/2002 |
No it shouldn't and also, remember that while you may be "burning bridges" if you sign a non-compete agreement, those bridges are small and their burnt status is temporary. In other words, you'd be limited in the jobs you could take after leaving this company, but the restriction would apply ONLY to those companies who compete directly for this company's customers. And the restriction would be temporary - probably only about a year which I think is just about the legal max for this sort of thing. Also, don't forget that these agreements are very common these days - if you don't sign this one (and therefore don't get this job) be aware that you'll probably be expected to sign one at any other job you're offered. |
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No compete contracts
posted at 7/3/2001 6:07 AM EDT
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Posts: 9
First: 6/24/2001 Last: 3/31/2003 |
Hey there, Valewil!
One more thing to keep in mind re: non-compete contracts: No company can prevent you from earning a living. The courts will stand on your side, AGAINST the non-compete agreement, if you can show that the jobs are few and far between, and this is what you're trained to do and couldn't get a comparable job in another field in which you're qualified. So, basically, non-compete things are just another way of reminding staff that they should keep their integrity high, and not steal or give out secret information. You know - common sense. However, courts tend to stand on the employee's side if it comes down to court action. Jill http://www.metrex.net |
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