Watch out what you sign at work
Doing your job and doing it well is the best way to stay out of trouble at work, advises Patricia Barasch, a Moorestown attorney who heads the National Employment Lawyers Association, a group of lawyers specializing in representing individuals in workplace cases. Here's the next tip: Watch what you sign.
Watch out what you sign at work
Jane M. Von Bergen, Inquirer Staff Writer
Doing your job and doing it well is the best way to stay out of trouble at work, advises Patricia Barasch, a Moorestown attorney who heads the National Employment Lawyers Association, a group of lawyers specializing in representing individuals in workplace cases. Here's the next tip: Watch what you sign
When you get a job, be careful about the paperwork you sign, especially in the honeymoon glow of initial employment. Barasch said her organization has seen a national trend toward companies requiring employees to sign documents that give various rights.
There are two common documents that can pose problems later:
1. Your employer may ask you to sign away rights to a jury trial in favor of binding arbitration if there are disputes or other workplace problems.
2. Your employer may ask you to sign a non-compete clause. These clauses are fairly common, but the best ones, from the employee point of view, put the least restrictions on future work. These non-compete documents can be binding with consequences that can last for years, so it may be worth it to consult a lawyer before you sign.
Watch out for "any agreement that has post-employment restrictions," Barasch said. You can read my profile of Barasch by clicking here. Her law firm is Schall & Barasch LLC
Check back here tomorrow for more advice from Barasch.
