oh, exactly! everyone thinks that bloodletting, the attrition, is why they're doing this. they realized that all these people are leaving and they should protect themselves. feh.
my first thought was that they'd been lazy. and of course they had b/c they weren't an internet company, historically. they're trying to become one now. so, they have these agreements for sales reps and management already --because that's the kind of staff they'd historically had to worry about. now they're realizing that their prospective buyers are other internet companies who care about the eyes and tease.
also, i'm learning to put things in the way you just did. and you know why? because of the it management training they put me through. LOL. slays the ellie mae in me, it sho'nuf does.
the thing is, they all really need to see an attorney. they are all freaked out about their side businesses -- like what will happen if they start an it consulting firm to build web sites for businesses that have nothing to do with our clientele. what will happen if you decided to start your own headhunting agency.
blah blah. try telling them that they are already bound by this kind of thing because of the fact that they are employees.
i mean, an attorney can correct me, but when you're an employee, if you build a widget that helps you get your job done, then widget belongs to company. no ifs ands or buts about it. but they keep reading the retroactive thing and the "idea" thing and they think the company is telling them that every thoughtlet that ever came into their head, before and during employment, is up for grabs.
all i can think of is: "if they can get you asking the wrong questions, they don't have to worry about the answers." (thomas pynchon -- paraphrased from memory)
oh, and the other thing that burns their asses, is the intro detailing everything the company does for us: we provide you with job, with chair and cube, computer, tools, training, invest in you. for pity's sake people, we provide you with toilet paper! think of it: teepee for your bungholio. we are special. sign this!
shag
http://cleandraws.com Wear Clean Draws ('coz there's 5 million ways to kill a CEO)