Non-competes for blue collar jobs

[sumpnz]

I'd never sign a non-compete that didn't include $$ if I was blocked from a job as a result.  NDA's are fine.  Got no issue with them.

We had an accountant at one time that told us he'd gotten back into accounting after a 10 year hiatus due to a NCA.  He didn't mind that hiatus as he was well compensated for it, and had another effective career for that time period to boot.

[RevDisk]

Don't you need a contract in the first place for it to be an amendment?  It can't be a contract if the signer rewrote the terms and gave it back to you first without your guy accepting it. And I can't see how that acceptance would be a mistake except if failure to read the terms offered was actually legitimate grounds to argue mistake.

Edit:  this is a fascinating topic for me...never come across people who try to change form contracts on the spot this way

...

You've been here this long and you're surprised one of us would do so?

I'm more surprised people think PDFs can't be altered so they don't even think about it. Another wrinkle of theoretical interest is if the PDF was 'protected' (BWAHAHA) by a proprietary scheme. People are weird enough to think if a vendor says "secure" or "protected", they actually mean it.

I'd never sign a non-compete that didn't include $$ if I was blocked from a job as a result.  NDA's are fine.  Got no issue with them.

We had an accountant at one time that told us he'd gotten back into accounting after a 10 year hiatus due to a NCA.  He didn't mind that hiatus as he was well compensated for it, and had another effective career for that time period to boot.

I've love to know that story. 10 year compensated hiatus would be... amazing. Even at a fraction of my current pay. Writing, travel, you name it.

[sumpnz]

...

You've been here this long and you're surprised one of us would do so?

I'm more surprised people think PDFs can't be altered so they don't even think about it. Another wrinkle of theoretical interest is if the PDF was 'protected' (BWAHAHA) by a proprietary scheme. People are weird enough to think if a vendor says "secure" or "protected", they actually mean it.


I've love to know that story. 10 year compensated hiatus would be... amazing. Even at a fraction of my current pay. Writing, travel, you name it.

I wish I knew more about the story too.  That was quite a long time ago (10 or so years ago) and he was cagey on details.  It's possible it was a 5 year hiatus, but regardless, it was a substantial time.  IIRC he was a financial accounting auditor or somesuch and the previous employer wanted him entirely out of the accounting world for a looong time when he left, and was willing to pay for that.

[K Frame]

"Edit:  this is a fascinating topic for me...never come across people who try to change form contracts on the spot this way"

You don't get out much then, do you?

Just because it's a PRINTED FORM!!!! contract doesn't mean its immutable.

[De Selby]

"Edit:  this is a fascinating topic for me...never come across people who try to change form contracts on the spot this way"

You don't get out much then, do you?

Just because it's a PRINTED FORM!!!! contract doesn't mean its immutable.

Yeah but how often have you seen a case of someone scribbling on their Verizon contract and then relying on the scribble in court?

It isn't immediately obvious how that would play out

[K Frame]

Yeah but how often have you seen a case of someone scribbling on their Verizon contract and then relying on the scribble in court?

It isn't immediately obvious how that would play out

It's a little bit different when you're a pure consumer who is looking at purchasing services -- electric, phone, water, etc. -- vs entering into an agreement when you provide skills, knowledge, etc., in return for compensation.

[KD5NRH]

Yeah but how often have you seen a case of someone scribbling on their Verizon contract and then relying on the scribble in court?

Never seen an actual contract from Verizon, just the "you'll pay us whatever we tell you to or we'll add on more fees" booby trap.  There should be a requirement in contract law that voids the whole thing if one party's side of the deal basically says "we can do whatever we want, including making huge changes to the terms and you have no recourse whatsoever."

[RevDisk]

Never seen an actual contract from Verizon, just the "you'll pay us whatever we tell you to or we'll add on more fees" booby trap.  There should be a requirement in contract law that voids the whole thing if one party's side of the deal basically says "we can do whatever we want, including making huge changes to the terms and you have no recourse whatsoever."

There actually is. Enforcement is another story. If you're willing to do the legwork, want to get out of a contract and the timing is perfect, it can be done.

[MillCreek]

Another article on the same topic:

http://www.seattletimes.com/business/unskilled-workers-often-tied-down-by-abusive-noncompete-agreements/

[HankB]

Isn't this another reason that so many big employers LOVE the H1B visa program? That H1B visa employees are more or less tied down for a period of time to their sponsor?