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Understanding Employment Contracts for Software Engineers

Learn how to read your employment contract and how to protect yourself and avoid getting locked into a bad situation.

First off — I am not a lawyer, and this is not legal advice. I may be wrong in any of this. Use this for entertainment purposes only, and get an actual lawyer if you need one.

Over my career as a software engineer, I’ve signed a handful of employment contracts. I used to sign them without thinking, but as I grew in my professional career, I became more and more aware of the limitations (and benefits) contracts provided.

It led me to believe that all software engineers should be aware of what they are signing. In the US, provisions in contracts like non-competition agreements and non-disclosure sections, can easily take away your ability to compete within the market place.

Important provisions

Some provisions impact software engineers more than others. While the totality of the contract should be carefully examined, in particular, be sure to keep an eye out for provisions related to the following:

• Non-competition
• Non-solicitation
• Non-disclosure