At 17:23 24/06/99 -0500, you wrote:
>On Thu, 24 Jun 1999, Dave VanHorn wrote:
>
>> > Does anyone have any advise on how I can protect myself? Has anyone here
>> had
>> > to sign similiar agreements. Is there a source of sample contracts that
>> are
>> > more balanced, or favor the engineer?
>
>A Similar thing happened to me. I didn't sign it either. I think it's just
>a phase that all companies that size go through.
>
>Try this: Refuse to sign it. What are they going to do? Fire you? In a
>company that small, it seems very unlikely (unless you're a complete
>screw-up or something). It may be possible in a large faceless corporation
>that you would be fired, but if you're a valuable member of the team, they
>would not risk losing you.
>
>You could also try to pull a fast one (do this at your own risk) and sign
>the NDA as Donald Duck, just so your boss sees that you signed something,
>then files it away never to be discussed again. If it comes under dispute,
>it isn't even your name...
>
>

This is not the way to go about it, most NDAs are singed in the presence
of, so that Donanld was seen to sign the docco, this has some legal
binding, also a good NDA will have you print your name and your name will
appear in the NDA as an agreement between X and Y also.

Yes agreed that these items can have little infulence, as one has to prove
what you directly took from the company as its propertey, and you have to
prove what you brought to the company to dispute the claim etc. All very
messy indeed.

If this is a small company and you have been there for quite some time the
best thing to do is to talk it over with your boss, try and find out where
you both stand and what the expectations are. The worst thing that you
could do is rewrite such an NDA, the next best thing to do is to take a
black pen to the sections that you don't agree with. But all this could
cause more tension between you and yourr boss.
Attempt to resolve the issues over a cup of coffee with the boss and then
quietly place the NDA into the rubbish bin.

Of course this will all depend on your contactual working arrangment with
your boss. If he is wishing to change the arrangement that you have with
each other, then maybe you could do the same by asking for a big fat pay
rise to cover the tramumer and stress that the NDA will palce on you and
your family.

If all else fails then at least get the NDA simple and no ambiguious
wording so that there will be no arguments if it has to be exercised.

Obove all run this past your solicitor before taking any action.



Dennis