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A former employer of mine (5 years ago) just sent me an email out of the blue with an updated Intellectual Property Agreement notably more complex than the one I recall signing when I started with them. I don't really have any interest in their IP or anything I worked on with them, but I also don't really like needlessly engaging in contracts, especially with people I don't feel like I left with the best terms (I quit because they were being super shady).

The agreement looks relatively straightforward, though some of the clauses look suspiciously like non-compete agreements, and I don't see a particularly compelling reason why I should sign. What's the worst that happens to me if I don't sign (or even acknowledge) this agreement, assuming I don't do anything to violate my original agreement or anything otherwise damaging/malicious to them?

Both me and the company in question are in CO, USA.

Garandy
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    What is forcing you to sign an IP agreement with someone you work for 5 years ago? do you do any consulting with them? – MattR May 16 '19 at 19:42
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    I'd strongly advise not signing, almost no good can come of this. Contact a lawyer if you are worried. But I expect if you don't sign nothing at all will happen. (What can they do, fire you?) – Vality May 16 '19 at 19:48
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    Possible duplicate of What benefits are there in signing a non-compete after resigning, with no formal contract of employment? The circumstances aren't exactly the same, but what's in the answers covers it. – Blrfl May 16 '19 at 19:54
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    "What's the worst that happens to me if I don't sign (or even acknowledge) this agreement, assuming I don't do anything to violate my original agreement or anything otherwise damaging/malicious to them?" Nothing. – sf02 May 16 '19 at 20:15
  • If you really left on bad terms, just write "NOPE" across the contract, and send it to them. – Donald May 16 '19 at 20:57
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    Hit the delete button and move on. There is no reason to compel you to do anything for a former employer, especially one you don't plan on returning to. – user1723699 May 16 '19 at 21:09
  • @MartinYork: Please post that as an answer, so that it can be properly voted on. (Note that other commenters and answers are suggesting not to write back at all.) – ruakh May 16 '19 at 21:44
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    @MattR It depends what was in the original agreement the OP signed. For example in the UK, if you sign anything relating to the Official Secrets Act, that applies for life, not just until you change employers. – alephzero May 16 '19 at 22:42
  • Short answer: DONT SIGN ANYTHING. – solarflare May 16 '19 at 23:22
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    @MartinYork they offered me $200, which seems pretty low for something they claim to urgently need me to sign, and is nowhere near enough of an incentive for me to want to hand these guys anything they could use against me. – Garandy May 17 '19 at 00:23
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    Generally speaking, the more urgently someone wants you to sign something, the more cautious you should be in considering if you should sign it. If they are throwing money at you to get you to sign it, even more so. – Gregory Currie May 17 '19 at 01:39
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    Something to consider, you said they were shady. They may be getting sued because of some dodgy behaviour, and are trying to tie up all the loose ends. You may be approached at a later stage by whoever is suing and offered some money to act as a witness. – Gregory Currie May 17 '19 at 01:41
  • @GregoryCurrie So you have considered what its worth to you (if $200 is low). So write back and say I am willing to give up for $5000 (or appropriate amount) or delete and forget. – Martin York May 17 '19 at 16:05

3 Answers3

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However straightforward it appears to be, you have nothing at all to gain from signing it. And there is the potential to lose out if you accidentally breach something after signing it.

Losing out might be getting sued, or losing the opportunity to apply for a job elsewhere.

Simon B
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Unless you're still working with them in some capacity don't sign it, they can't legally force you to sign, they have no leverage over you to make you sign it and if you do sign it you could be setting yourself up for issues in the future if you accidentally breach it somehow. I would delete the email without even responding.

Working Title
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Why not just ask them?

This could be email sent by mistake.

If they say the want you to sign it tell them to kcuf off.

Bohdan
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    As entertaining and appealing as this answer is, contacting them just to tell them to eff off is not a productive or professional approach to the problem. – Summer May 16 '19 at 21:56
  • @bruglesco so what is a productive or professional approach? – Solar Mike May 16 '19 at 22:12
  • @bruglesco Such agreements are implied threats to sue you at some point in the future. Telling someone to eff off after they've gone out of their way to interrupt your life with an implied future legal threat is not professional, but it's entirely productive as it establishes immediately that you're not going to put up with it. – Joe May 16 '19 at 23:36
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    @Joe that's a disingenuous interpretation. The only legal implication is if you sign it. The company is acting as threatening as a Nigerian Prince asking for ten grand. The best course of action remains ignoring it. – Summer May 16 '19 at 23:41
  • A few other former employees I keep in touch with have gotten similar emails, and the text of the email indicates that they've recently had a "review of the corporate structure that has necessitated" these addendums being signed. – Garandy May 17 '19 at 00:22
  • @Garandy Implying, to me, they've recently discovered a frightening legal liability they wish to bury. Delete the email, but maybe setup a Google alert or two to watch the fallout. – Saiboogu May 17 '19 at 14:02