If ayear after I started a job myemployer wants me to sign an employment agreement, do I have to?

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If ayear after I started a job myemployer wants me to sign an employment agreement, do I have to?

In the offer letter I had a condition to sign that. The letter reads: Additionally, as a condition of employment, you must sign an employment agreement relative to ideas, inventions, patent applications, patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets and confidential information. You will also be required to sign a non-compete agreement. I have no problem to sign an employment agreement, but not the company gave me, because that limits me to choose my next employer a lot. I hope they will terminate the employment, but after that the company will go into a default. Can they force me to sign the employment agreement as it is now?

Asked on February 18, 2012 under Employment Labor Law, Ohio

Answers:

SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney

Answered 12 years ago | Contributor

Your employer can force you to sign an employment agreement, including a non-competition agreement, in the sense that it may terminate or fire you if you do not sign it. Employers have the right to set terms and conditions of employment, including that employees sign non-competiton agreements, confidentiality or non-disclosure agreements, or agreements assigning intellectual property rights. They may do this at any time, not merely at the outset of employment; the fact that they may terminate you if you do not sign provides the consideration for the agreement.


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