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Discussion » Statements » Rosie's Corner » You leave a job for whatever reason. What power to control what you say/do futurely does your former boss have over you? Why?
RosieG

You leave a job for whatever reason. What power to control what you say/do futurely does your former boss have over you? Why?

I know you aren't supposed to disclose things that competitors could use against your former company to undermine/sabotage/harm. Trade secrets for instance. That would be like an industrial spy who gets hired to find out how that very popular thingamajig works so the person paying the money for espionage can get a leg up and the competition and copycat. Besides that?

Posted - May 11, 2019
Tags : None

Responses


  • 10770
    A boss holds no power over an ex-employee.  The ex-employee should respect the company they worked for (as you stated), but unless they signed a document stating such, they don't have to,  However, they might be held accountable if they violate confidentiality.

    We are not beholding to a "master" (as in someone owns us), but rather we trade a portion of our lives to an employer for a paycheck.  Unless a contract has been entered into, an employee is free to change employers (masters) as they wish.  When that employment was terminated all ties between employee and employer were severed.
      May 11, 2019 1:28 PM MDT
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  • 113301
    Thank you for your thoughtful and helpful reply Shuhak. Do Confidentiatlity Agreements have any teeth at all? Everyone seems to write a "TELL-ALL" book after working for someone they DESPISED despite having signed agreements that say they can't. I don't see why Don McGahn WON'T appear before Congress . Why is he going to face a CONTEMPT charge for saying what he already said in private to Robert Mueller? The difference is that  the HOUSE wants PUBLIC HEARINGS so we the people can watch and see and hear what is going on. The sb prez is terrified of that. He is the most scairdy prez in my memory. And the beat goes on.
      May 12, 2019 4:54 AM MDT
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  • 7280
    Realistically, if a previous boss is contacted by a potential future employer of the employee who has left, that prior boss can throw some shade on his ex-employee with some carefully worded verbiage.

    But---outside of something like a non-compete or proprietary information agreement---the previous boss has no legitimate power.
      May 11, 2019 2:50 PM MDT
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  • 113301
    That's what I think too tom. There are folks who sign confidentiality agreements and then write TELL-ALL  books and seem to get away with it. Why do some contracts/agreement have teeth and some don't? I'm gonna ask. Thank you for your reply and Happy Sunday! :)
      May 12, 2019 4:55 AM MDT
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  • 7939
    It depends on what kind of contract you sign. Some companies have very strong non-compete and non-disclosure agreements, to the point where the leaving employee cannot even work in the industry for many years after. With some of my writing contracts, I learn about technology companies are developing and patents they file before any info is released. I'm occasionally expected to sign agreements saying I won't work for any other companies in their industry for like five years after my contract ends with them. 
      May 11, 2019 2:56 PM MDT
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  • 113301
    How do you explain those who sign agreements and then write TELL ALL books JA? Do they really have TEETH or are they just window-dressing to threaten those who threaten easily? Thank you for your reply and Happy Mother's Day Sunday! :) This post was edited by RosieG at May 13, 2019 2:40 AM MDT
      May 12, 2019 4:57 AM MDT
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  • 7939
    I don't know the specifics. We'd probably have to look at the language of each contract to see how they got around it. I know these companies do sue sometimes. Here's a story about a guy who worked at Amazon and switched to Google. Amazon sued. Oddly enough, Google jumped into it to defend him and supported him legally. https://www.geekwire.com/2014/amazon-sues-employee-taking-google-cloud-job-new-test-non-compete-laws/ 

    And, here's one that talks about how companies like Amazon decide when to sue. https://www.geekwire.com/2017/business-personal-amazon-web-services-decides-enforce-non-compete-contracts/ 
      May 12, 2019 2:58 PM MDT
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  • 113301
    Thank you for your very thoughtful and informative reply JA and the two links. I appreciate it. Some folks are just sue-crazy. When I worked for a couple who owned 7 McDonald's Restaurants there was a wheel-chair bound woman who was always suing them for something having to do with the disabilities act. That was where restaurants had to provide ramps for wheelchair access. She made a living off it which I thought was really sad. I've never sued anyone. Oh, well I guess I did. You do sue for divorce right? I've done that. But otherwise suing someone to get money or whatever isn't appealing to me. I do think some lawsuits are definitely necessary though. I'm just glad I've never been in a situation where suing was the only option I'm gonn ask. Thank you for your reply and Happy Monday to you! :)
      May 13, 2019 2:45 AM MDT
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  • 17020
    None - except that I am legally required not to disclose any of the classified I handled as a civilian employee of the Air Force.
      May 12, 2019 7:00 AM MDT
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  • 113301
    That's a lifetime obligation R. I mean it involves protecting the safety and security of your country which doesn't end when you leave the military. That makes sense. Thank you for your reply and Happy Monday! :)
      May 13, 2019 2:47 AM MDT
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  • 6098
    Some companies have  contract with non-competition clause which means you are not allowed to work for a directly competing company for a few years.  Of course people do and often they are in much demand.  Because you bring your developed know-how with you.  So that is seldom enforced by law unless in the case of a product developed by the new company threatens one already offered by the old.  The  all hell can break loose. 

    I don't know - no former boss has ever sought to control me. Nor does my contract contain any such clauses as I guess they see me as rather unimportant. Those people who write those kind of books - I would guess they are going for the bucks and the fame which they figure are worth any possible ramifications of breaking their agreements. Or they are just vindictive.  All seems kind of desperate to me as well as a waste of time.  Not what I want to do with my life. 
      May 12, 2019 7:04 AM MDT
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