On Wednesday 11 December 2002 01:32, you wrote: > One company that I'm interviewing with said they where writting up an > employment offer for me. > > One thing that has me concerned is that they want me to sign a four year > Non-Compete Agreement. > > The company in question has two current product lines, LED based lights in > rugged packaging, and "Man Down" alarms for police and fire personnel. > > Where I fit in to the picture is they want me to help bring to market a > spread spectrum 902 MHz radio module, about the size of a half dollar that > gets 1/2 to 1 mile range. > > So any one that makes LEDs, safety equipment, or radio products could be > viewed as a potential competitor. > > They said that the did not want me to start up a compeating company should > I leave. I understand that, and don't have any interest in doing some > thing like that. > > These NCA's seem to be common these days, but to me four years seems > excessive in the fast changing world of our electronics. > > My concern is that if I would ever leave the company does it mean I have to > change to a completely different field? > > I want your input on what you think of NCA's, and this length of time? > > Also related would be Non-Disclosure agreements. Don't reveal customer > lists or trade secrets for example. I have no problem with those.
Allow me to tell you 2 short stories. 1. My brother started out as a small partner in a law firm (The split was 80:10:10). He objected to the profligacy of the major partner, and left after some disputing to start his own firm. He was given 10% of the business (Was handling about 35%), and another 25% followed him. Within 3 months, he had 2 legal executives and was flying, whereas the major partner had lost 66-70% of the business to 2 minor partners and wsas carrying 90% of the original companiy's liabilities; he ended up practising law out of his garage at home for some time. 2. A customer of mine trained a young chap (Diecutting machinery - cuting out shapes from sheet) and he left to go to England. He came back, took his old job for 6 months, got all the phone numbers, and then told his boss he was going out in competition against him! That's what your Non compete agreement is designed to stop. You will probably find it is limited by Constitutional amendments in your part of the world, and should be OK unless you are intending to go out on your own. -- Regards, Declan Moriarty. -- Author: Declan Moriarty INET: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Fat City Network Services -- 858-538-5051 http://www.fatcity.com San Diego, California -- Mailing list and web hosting services --------------------------------------------------------------------- To REMOVE yourself from this mailing list, send an E-Mail message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (note EXACT spelling of 'ListGuru') and in the message BODY, include a line containing: UNSUB CHIPDIR-L (or the name of mailing list you want to be removed from). You may also send the HELP command for other information (like subscribing).
