What’s the single most important clause in your employment contract?
It’s not your comp, or even your loan repayment.
It’s your “exclusive rights” language.
Carrie Fischer once said that her first Star Wars contract was so restrictive on the use of her image that she couldn’t look in the mirror without sending George Lucas a quarter.
It took her thirty years to get out of that agreement, until then, she was cursed to looking at images of herself on socks, toothpaste and feminine hygiene products (no kidding).
Don’t let that happen to you.
The exclusive service clause is the part of the agreement that states you can’t use your medical license to work for anyone else without your employer’s approval.
Your employer wants you to concentrate on the factory floor and their facility, you want to push your value.
Your employer wants this clause as restrictive as possible, you don’t want that language in there at all.
Further, the language of these contracts are intentionally vague.
Your employer wants you to think you can’t even breathe without their permission.
Your tactic?
Check for these clauses.
If they’re there, check to see how vague the language is.
If it’s not vague, try to negotiate it away, even at the cost of some of your guarantee.
If it is vague, run some moonlighting scenarios by the lawyer who reviews your contract, see what she says.
In the end, it’s better to ask use the George Constanza approach and ask for forgiveness rather than permission.
Just not quite as blatant as he.