I hear occasionally about people who do not sign them but turn them in
with the rest of the stack, as well as people who cross out sections or
modify wording of the contract, initial and sign and return in the
stack.  HR doesn't have time to see if you've even signed it, nevermind
made modifications - it goes in your employment file.  When a dispute
arises, simply ask to see the signed agreement - they'll finally get a
good look at it and find out that they didn't put forth enough effort in
the beginning.

My first job I signed an agreement to 'not work in the same market' for
a period of two years after leaving the company.  It didn't worry me at
the time, and they didn't bother to follow up afterward - it can be used
against you as a threat, but I don't think it's a serious threat.  I
wouldn't sign one unless the language was very clear, specifying a
period less than a year and stating that I couldn't work for a company
whose products directly compete with this company, and even then I may
not sign since it's still exceptionally broad.  The flip side is that
the more broad it is the more likely it will be thrown out of court (and
easier to defend against) should the need arise.

-Adam

Engineering Info wrote:

> Several years ago I walked out of a job on my first day for an medical
> electronics company.  I went through the interview process without a
> hitch.  There was no questions of privacy or any other questions that
> would have tipped me off as this being a company trying to dig too far
> into my personal life.  I got the job and showed up for my first day of
> work.  They wanted me to sign the typical stack of papers (W2,
> non-disclosure agreement, etc.) but there was one more paper they wanted
> me to sign.  Their attitude was to sign it or leave so I left.
>
> The paper they wanted me to sign was basically to give away all my
> design rights.  I can understand having anything I was paid to design
> while I was there being the property of the company.  However, they
> wanted EVERYTHING.  I can pretty much still remember what the contract
> said, "All designs become the property of the company weather they were
> done on company property or not, weather they were done on company time
> or not, weather they have to do with the normal business or the company
> or not".  I asked, "So I worked on the weekends in my garage on the
> design of some new leather whip and handcuff set to be sold at my local
> adult fantasy store, you would now own the design"?  Their response was
> "Yes".
>
> David VanHorn wrote:
>
>> At 05:30 AM 7/30/2004, Bill Couture wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>> On Thu, 29 Jul 2004, David VanHorn wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>> But *WOULD NOT* let me take a copy of their forms for inspection.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>> RUN, do not walk, to the nearest exit.
>>>>
>>>>
>>> That's about what happened.
>>>
>>> What astounds me is that there were other people there who actually
>>> filled
>>> out the forms.  Gaaa....
>>>
>>>
>>
>> Any time that you get anything of this sort, they are looking to hose
>> you.
>> No honest party will have any problem with you having your lawyer
>> look at any agreement you're being asked to sign (well maybe a three
>> letter agency would... )
>>
>> An interview is always a two-way street.  Am there, Doing that :)
>>
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>

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