My new job threw a very strange non-compete agreement at me after just one month
About a month into my new job as a VP, I got a strange email from the company on Docusign. With no explanation, just a link. I opened it and found a very unfair non-compete agreement, written solely in their favor, that they wanted me to sign.
I immediately started looking through it, and a few things jumped out at me that made me very concerned and were clear red flags:
- First, the timing is very strange. Why now?
- It prevents me from working for any competing company for a full 3 years after leaving them.
- It also says I can't work any other job at all. The owners are well aware that I have my own consulting business on the side, which we discussed during the hiring process.
- Their geographical restriction is insane. They've listed many cities and states around me where I'm not allowed to work.
- It forces me to agree to my current salary, even though my responsibilities have significantly increased in the past month.
- And the kicker? They're saying I have to pay them $2,000 in 'training fees' if I leave the job within the first 18 months.
Of course, it was impossible for me to sign something like this.
I went straight to HR to understand what was happening. My first question was why this was brought up a month into the job, not during the hiring process. Their excuse was that their lawyer is slow. A very lame excuse. Then I brought up that my responsibilities have increased significantly since I started and said we needed to revisit my role and salary. The HR person said she would pass my concerns on to leadership.
A few hours later, the CEO called me, but I was busy in another meeting. The next day, the general atmosphere was off. HR told me the CEO wanted to talk to me, but then... Nothing, radio silence all day. The more I think about it, the more certain I am that I can't sign this agreement as it is. Honestly, this whole situation has made me seriously doubt the integrity of the people running the company. I can't work in a place that operates this way.
I've already sent the documents to a lawyer to get his opinion and I'm weighing my options. If they insist on their position on any of these points, I'm ready to quit on the spot. It's a huge disappointment that something like this would even happen. Part of me feels like they realized my value in this first month and are now trying to lock me down with this garbage contract.
Am I overreacting? What would you do if you were in my place?