San-Diego Union-Tribune bans employees from recruiting colleagues to other companies

Posted by Helena Deards on May 25, 2009 at 11:08 AM

The San-Diego Union-Tribune has made all of its employees sign a confidentiality agreement banning them from recruiting current or former employees to a competitor. The agreement lasts for two years, and means any staffers with the intention to create or join a rival company will be unable to recruit former colleagues.

It comes at a particularly inconvenient moment for any of the 192 laid-off employees who had any ideas of beginning their own venture, especially given that their last day of work was Friday. Bernie Lunzer, president of the Newspaper Guild, says that the Union-Tribune is "asking a lot, especially in this climate".

Employees will be agreeing to statements including, "I shall not solicit directly or indirectly, any person who is a SDUT employee or who has been employed by SDUT within the prior six (6) months for employment by, or any business relationship with, a competitor." Such clauses are permitted under Californian law, although clauses preventing employees from working for competitors are not.

Following US newspaper lay-offs and closures, many journalists have banded together to form online-only separate news providers, normally in direct competition with their former employers. The Union-Tribune appears to be acting to forestall this situation arising - but this somewhat harsh clause does leave former employees who have lost their jobs with one fewer option for their future.

Source: Voice of San Diego via Poynter