Amazon added a non-compete after the employee entered the U.S. on an L1B visa (twitter.com)

Article summary

An Amazon employee shared their experience of being asked to sign a non-compete agreement after joining the company in the US on an L1B visa, despite not having such a clause in their original contract. The employee felt this was done in an unethical manner. The non-compete agreement restricted where they could work and who they could work with for up to 18 months after leaving Amazon. This experience highlights the issue of non-compete clauses in employment contracts.

Main themes

• non-compete clauses
• employment contracts
• tech industry
• state laws
• career planning
• company policies

What commenters say

• Some argue that non-compete clauses are not typically enforced against rank-and-file employees, but rather against high-level executives.
• Others believe that including non-compete clauses in contracts can be a scare tactic to retain employees, even if they are not enforceable in certain states.
• It is suggested that employees should carefully plan their post-employment options and consider the potential impact of non-compete clauses on their career.
• Some commenters think that companies like Google do not have non-compete clauses in their contracts, at least for certain employees or in certain states.
• There is a disagreement about the enforceability of non-compete clauses in different states and countries, with some arguing that they are not valid in places like California or India.
• A few commenters mention that they have avoided working for companies with non-compete clauses or have taken steps to minimize their impact.
• Some people believe that non-compete clauses can be circumvented by changing job titles or roles, while others think this is not a reliable strategy.
• The discussion also touches on the topic of tax incentives and the attractiveness of different states for tech workers.