Getting a job with a competitor?

LegacyUser

Hello everyone,
I currently have a temp job, contractor for a food manufacturer.
I have been seeking more permanent positions elsewhere and I have heard that in some places, if you get a job with a rival company, you will be escorted out of the premises on the spot.

Is this common? Also, would you be entitled to whatever you would have earned during your notice period (even as a temp)?

eejoynt

What does your contract say?

jon1981

don't tell them...

make up a white lie..

shoegirl

PoppyPoppy wrote: »

I have been seeking more permanent positions elsewhere and I have heard that in some places, if you get a job with a rival company, you will be escorted out of the premises on the spot.

Rubbish, you are not living in Soviet Russia. You have a right to free association.

There is a clause sometimes written into information-sensitive companies contracts that if you gain employment with a competitor you are bound by confidentiality or sometimes you are expected to not work out your notice.

It would be utterly illegal to "escort off the premises" anybody who had got a job with a competitor.

gandalf

If you are in a position to gather information that would be useful to your new employer that can happen and you will be paid for the remainder of your notice (normally a month if you are paid monthly).

I have had it happen to me but I worked in IT Sales when I moved from one Manufacturer to another back in the mid 1990's. Handed my notice in to the Sales Director, when back to my desk while he called HR. Went down to HR to do an exit interview and then was escorted back to my desk by security to get my stuff and escorted out of the building.

jon1981

shoegirl wrote: »

Rubbish, you are not living in Soviet Russia. You have a right to free association.


It would be utterly illegal to "escort off the premises" anybody who had got a job with a competitor.

actually this happens more than you think! From working in the telecoms industry i have seen people escorted on the spot although they will get paid for 1 months notice or whatever notice period is in their contract...also gardening leave has been paid out!

seamus

shoegirl wrote: »

It would be utterly illegal to "escort off the premises" anybody who had got a job with a competitor.

No it wouldn't. A company is perfectly entitled to ask an employee to leave the premises.

The company would still be obliged however to pay the employee for their notice period.

You may be trying to say that a company cannot fire someone on the spot for joining a competitor, and you'd be right. But "escorting off the premises" is a fairly common thing and perfectly legal provided that the employee is paid their notice period and all outstanding wages/holidays owed.

LegacyUser

PoppyPoppy wrote: »

Hello everyone,
I currently have a temp job, contractor for a food manufacturer.
I have been seeking more permanent positions elsewhere and I have heard that in some places, if you get a job with a rival company, you will be escorted out of the premises on the spot.

Is this common? Also, would you be entitled to whatever you would have earned during your notice period (even as a temp)?

This happened a few years ago in a place i used to work the guy got a job in a rival firm when he handed in his notice they asked him where he was going when he told him they went mad and made him clear out his desk straight away and escorted him out of the building he didnt even get a chance to say goodbye to anyone but as he was giving in his months notice they did pay him that dont know if its legal but it does happen

Mrs OBumble

shoegirl wrote: »

Rubbish, you are not living in Soviet Russia. You have a right to free association.

It would be utterly illegal to "escort off the premises" anybody who had got a job with a competitor.

Can you tell us what specific law it would be breaking?

Allso, re the first statement: Virtually all employment contracts require you not to bring the company into disrepute - which could easily happen if you started hanging out with certain groups. To borrow a UK example, your employer might not like you to doing too much free association with the National Front, especially if you became identified as a spokesperson for them.

seamus

JustMary wrote: »

Virtually all employment contracts require you not to bring the company into disrepute - which could easily happen if you started hanging out with certain groups.

This is where it starts to get thorny. An employer can't fire you (or even take disciplinary action against you) for associating with certain groups, it can only do something where your actions brought the company into disrepute.

So, joining the National Front would be fine, but if as you say, you were to become the spokesman for them, then your activities would bring your employer bad press, and you could be sanctioned for that. However, if you remained a guy who sits down the back of NF meetings and doesn't attend public rallies/protests, your employer can't really touch you.

chalupa

I am about to give notice to my employer. I have been with the company nearly 18 months and technically im supposed to give 3 months notice. Im going to Australia in 3 months so if I really have to I could work for another 3 months.

What im hoping is that they will just ask me to leave and I will get a couple months pay for nothing. Im working in Finance and have access to loads of confidential information so im hoping they will just ask me to leave and still pay me. I could also try and get fired but would like to get a reference.

Any advise please!

jor el

chalupa wrote: »

Any advise please!

Yes, read your own thread where your question was answered, and don't spam it in other irrelevant threads.