Re: contracts

<< Non-compete in the majority of states is zero. If you are in a strong union 
state the agent may hold out till you sign. >>

I don't know about any other states, and I'm not sure what unions you are 
referring to, but almost every contract I've signed in California and Colorado 
in the past 22 years has had a non-competition clause.

Whether these clauses are inforceable or not is of course another issue.

Try to talk it down to the shortest time frame you can, of course - one year 
seems to be the lowest most places will go, unless you have some specific skill 
that they need badly.

Make sure that it is as specific (meaning narrowly-focused) as you can get it.  
I have seen contracts where the limitation specifically applies only to 
companies where the middleman places you, but I have also seen contracts where 
it applies to any of the middleman's current customers, regardless of which of 
those customers you work at!

Once, I even saw a contract which stipulated that I could not work for any of 
the middleman's past customers, present customers or potential future 
customers!  Meaning, I suppose, anyone with a computer or thinking of getting 
one... I told the middleman that this was called "unfair restraint of trade", 
and  totally unenforceable.

Someone ealier in this thread mentioned trying to get the contract to specify 
"department" rather than "company".  I've yet to see a middleman willing to 
specify that, but I have talked them into "division".

Best of luck,

Bob Lancaster