Help.... I was a store manager with a large speciatly retailer and was recently forced into resigning from my position in exchange for a release from a non compete agreement. Essentially all the company released me from was my valuable stock options. Here is the history....
I have worked for this company for three years and enjoyed the reputation of being a solid contributor. This past August I was assigned to work for a new manager, who upon first meeting, was rude and abrasive toward me. He started documenting conversations with me from our first meeting and set me up for failure. I was consistently disciplined for subjective items and although all objective measurable matrixes regarding my performance were equal or above my peers, this manager was heading me doen the road of termination........ Funny thing is that my building is scheduled to undergo a big remodel, reduing salesfloor space by 50%, not a no brainer to realize that at 50% of selling space comes a reduction in head count......Me.....to start...
Anyways, I start exploring other opportunities and have two successful interviews with another company and was asked by the other company to look into my non compete. When I did, I did find that the other company was considered a competator. So I go to the director of retail operations, let him know that I am looking at other opportunities and requested to be release from my non compete. He states he will work to make that happen and would get back with me in a few days....
Two business days later, my boss shows up at my location, pulls me in the office, tells me that he understands I want to resign from my position and hands me a letter of resignation and asks for my signature. He then tells me the company is letting me out of my non compete with the exception of the confidentiality portion. I am intimidated, not given an option not to sign, and taken totally off guard. I sign the letter and am escorted out of the building. Later that day my now x boss meets with my team and tells them how great the company treated me, helping me and my family get back to my home state and letting me out of my non compete verbadum.
Fast forward, 9 days later, after many calls to the company requesting documentation releasing me from the non compete. The legal department informs me that they will cc me on a letter that they will send on my behalf to the potential employer. They send this letter essentially stating that I can not share confidential information and that the conditions of my employment with the other comany can not require them to reuqest or solicit confidential information or that they will persue leagal action.
The kicker is that in the intro paragraph in the letter from my previous employer it states that they "understand I was offered a position" by this new company which is not in anyway close to what I told my former employer and this now makes me look like a liar.... Needless to say, I have not heard anything back from the potential employer who I strongly believe was going to extend an offer..... Do I have any recourse
I have worked for this company for three years and enjoyed the reputation of being a solid contributor. This past August I was assigned to work for a new manager, who upon first meeting, was rude and abrasive toward me. He started documenting conversations with me from our first meeting and set me up for failure. I was consistently disciplined for subjective items and although all objective measurable matrixes regarding my performance were equal or above my peers, this manager was heading me doen the road of termination........ Funny thing is that my building is scheduled to undergo a big remodel, reduing salesfloor space by 50%, not a no brainer to realize that at 50% of selling space comes a reduction in head count......Me.....to start...
Anyways, I start exploring other opportunities and have two successful interviews with another company and was asked by the other company to look into my non compete. When I did, I did find that the other company was considered a competator. So I go to the director of retail operations, let him know that I am looking at other opportunities and requested to be release from my non compete. He states he will work to make that happen and would get back with me in a few days....
Two business days later, my boss shows up at my location, pulls me in the office, tells me that he understands I want to resign from my position and hands me a letter of resignation and asks for my signature. He then tells me the company is letting me out of my non compete with the exception of the confidentiality portion. I am intimidated, not given an option not to sign, and taken totally off guard. I sign the letter and am escorted out of the building. Later that day my now x boss meets with my team and tells them how great the company treated me, helping me and my family get back to my home state and letting me out of my non compete verbadum.
Fast forward, 9 days later, after many calls to the company requesting documentation releasing me from the non compete. The legal department informs me that they will cc me on a letter that they will send on my behalf to the potential employer. They send this letter essentially stating that I can not share confidential information and that the conditions of my employment with the other comany can not require them to reuqest or solicit confidential information or that they will persue leagal action.
The kicker is that in the intro paragraph in the letter from my previous employer it states that they "understand I was offered a position" by this new company which is not in anyway close to what I told my former employer and this now makes me look like a liar.... Needless to say, I have not heard anything back from the potential employer who I strongly believe was going to extend an offer..... Do I have any recourse
