A non-compete agreement is a contract that some Texas employees have to sign as a condition to working for a particular company. The employee may be ordered not to discuss the company online or not to work for any competitors. Violating this agreement could lead to employment litigation. Here are several tips for employees to follow before they sign a non-compete agreement.
Review the contract
Review the terms of every non-compete agreement up close. Do not sign the contract before reading, or you could be faced with a lawsuit in the future.
Review your options
Don’t assume there are no options and that you must sign or sacrifice the job. It may be wise to consider other job offers before signing; other companies could be willing to accommodate their agreements to fit a specific employee’s needs.
Keep a copy
Every employee should keep a copy of the agreement for future reference. It’s also a piece of evidence to use if you enter into business litigation with the company.
Understand your rights
Even if the contract is only a few pages, don’t sign it without reviewing it carefully. Many employees feel pressured to sign unethical agreements. They increase their risks of getting sued by the company for trivial reasons, or they feel pressured to avoid working for other companies. The best option could be not to sign the agreement at all.
Sign your contracts carefully
It is not the end if you do not sign a non-compete agreement, and signing one is not always a bad move either. It’s important that you fully understand what the agreement entails and decide if you can meet the company’s obligations.