[ILUG] nda's and other legal mumbo jumbo

[Rónán]

On 2/6/00 at 10:38 am, higels at tcd.ie (Steffen Higel) wrote:

> On Fri, Jun 02, 2000 at 10:12:43AM +0100, David Murphy articulated:
> > Companies put all sorts of things they know they can't enforce into
> > contracts, licences, etc. Negotiate the contract terms - if they won't
> > negotiate, then don't sign the contract. Work somewhere else.
> 
> Okay, thank you all for your advice. I got in touch with HR this morning,
> and voiced my concerns. HR person stated that they wouldn't enforce it,
> that it was more for people working in their Digital Media Division. I
> asked then, if for my own peace of mind they could have it altered to read
> what Vincent suggested.
> I was told "Nope, but don't lose any sleep over it." I know other people
> who work there who as I do, write and develop stuff, and have never had
> any problems.

Doesn't matter - if it's in writing, they can enforce it, and you will find it
very hard to prove that they said they wouldn't. Change the contract, or get a
letter from them, dated after the date you sign the contract, saying they will
not enforce the contract. 

Think about it this way - that particular HR person may not want to enforce it.
S/he won't always be there, management may change, the company may change hands.
This clause could come back and bite you in 10 years time.