Know exactly what you're agreeing to before you accept
Non-competes that block your next job. IP clauses that claim your side projects. Termination terms with no severance. Know what's in your offer before day one.
60-second analysis · No credit card · Your data stays yours
What Employment Contract agreements hide in plain sight
The most common red flags we catch in this contract type.
Broad geography and industry scope that locks you out of your field long after you leave.
Claims inventions you create on personal time, on your own equipment, in unrelated fields.
They can terminate tomorrow with nothing — and no defined notice period.
Lets the company take back bonuses already deposited if you resign within a window.
The three things that decide whether your Employment Contract holds up
An offer letter is not just a job description with a salary. It is a contract that governs who owns your ideas, where you can work next, and what happens if the company changes its mind. The three levers with real impact are IP assignment scope, non-compete geography and duration, and severance triggers.
IP overreach is the quietest of the three. A standard clause assigns 'all inventions conceived during employment.' Read literally, that includes the side project you started before joining and the app you build on weekends. The fix is a personal-IP schedule listing what stays yours, plus language limiting assignment to inventions related to the company's business and using company resources.
Non-competes are increasingly unenforceable in many US states and much of Europe — but uncertainty alone deters your next employer. A 6-12 month non-compete narrowly defined to actual direct competitors, paired with garden leave (full pay during the restriction) is defensible. A 24-month, industry-wide, worldwide non-compete without garden leave is not.
What ContractScan AI analyzes in your Employment Contract
A dedicated playbook — built for this contract type only.
- Non-compete scope
Geography, duration, industries, and any carve-outs.
- IP assignment
What's assigned, what stays yours, and prior-IP carve-outs.
- Termination and severance
Notice period, severance triggers, benefit continuation.
- Bonus clawback
What triggers clawback and whether already-paid amounts are recoverable.
- Non-solicitation
Restrictions on approaching colleagues or customers after you leave.
- Garden leave
Whether you stay on full pay during notice and how it interacts with non-compete.
- Arbitration clause
Whether you're giving up the right to sue in court.
- Role definition
How your position, duties and reporting line are defined — and how they can change.
Red flags we see in real Employment Contracts
Specific patterns to check for before you sign — with the fix for each.
You need a schedule of what stays yours or you assign your side projects on signature.
If they want you off the market, they should pay you to be off it. No pay, no restriction.
Termination tomorrow with nothing — negotiate at least 3 months and stock treatment on involuntary termination.
Bonuses already paid should not be recoverable if you leave — only if you're terminated for cause.
How to negotiate a Employment Contract
The concrete asks we recommend, in the order to raise them.
- 1Add a personal-IP schedule to the offer letter
- 2Cap the non-compete at 6-12 months, direct competitors only, and require garden leave
- 3Negotiate 3-6 months severance on involuntary termination without cause
- 4Add double-trigger acceleration on unvested equity (change of control + termination)
- 5Strike bonus clawback for voluntary resignation
- 6Ensure arbitration is opt-in, not mandatory — or at least excludes discrimination claims
Here's what your report looks like
Plain English. No legal jargon. Action you can take today.
Broad geography and industry scope that locks you out of your field long after you leave.
Claims inventions you create on personal time, on your own equipment, in unrelated fields.
They can terminate tomorrow with nothing — and no defined notice period.
Signing a bad employment contract can cost you years of professional freedom. A broad non-compete forces you to sit out or move sectors. A broad IP clause quietly gives away the side project that becomes your next company. And at-will termination without severance means the day your role is 'restructured' is also your last paycheck.
Who uses this
Understand exactly what you're signing before day one.
Check what changed before the new terms take effect.
Spot leverage points on severance, equity, and notice.
Frequently asked questions
Can I negotiate an employment contract?
Yes. Non-competes, IP carve-outs, notice periods, and severance are all commonly negotiated — especially for senior roles.
Does my employer own my side project?
Depends on your IP clause. Many contracts claim all inventions during employment — including personal work done on your own time.
What if there's no severance clause?
You're entitled to statutory minimum only — often very little. Negotiate severance before you sign, not after you're let go.
Ready to check your Employment Contract?
Upload your contract and get an AI review in under a minute — written in plain English with one clear recommendation per clause.