Texas Court Rules ex-employee owes former employer $100k for leaving job early.

[Sam_Fields]

Contracts are the new slavery.

The pact Rieves signed divided her pay into two categories, regular pay and “retention pay,” about a third of her total compensation. The contract, as well as a similar contract Rieves signed a year later, allowed Buc-ee’s to recoup the retention pay should she fail to stick around for the 48-month term of the deal. The contract also required Rieves to give six months notice before leaving, which she said effectively extended the term to 54 months.

Months passed with no word from the company, and Kelly settled into her new job. Then, in 2013, Buc-ee’s sued Rieves for every cent of the retention pay she earned during her nearly three years there: $67,720.29.

The grand total now approaches $100,000.

[link:http://www.houstonpress.com/news/buc-ees-demands-67k-back-from-ex-employee-because-she-left-8540676|

[RockaFowler]

1. Also Non-Compete Clauses

It's standard practice in Local Media - from Sales to Reporters to Anchors.

You have to sit out 6 months even if you are fired.

[hunter]

15. For a convenience store assistant manager???

That's just sad...

For someone who's the "face" of a product in a major advertising campaign, I can see contracts like this, or maybe engineers for the latest big brand cell phones, but for a convenience store assistant manager???

That's unconscionable and ought to be illegal.

[yeoman6987]

2. Read the contracts. Many people don't.

Get a lawyer to review as well.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

4. Exactly

I don't get why people sign a contract, and then are surprised when they're held to it.

[LisaL]

8. Based on the article, she knew when she was leaving that she was breaking the contract.

She discussed that with her employee, and she was given 3 options, none of which she found satisfactory. But she left anyway. She had a year left, sounds like she should have stuck around for that year to avoid all these legal issues.

[dumbcat]

3. Abolish contracts!

Tools of the 1%.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

5. Not likely

Unions sign contracts as well - do you want those abolished too?

[dumbcat]

20. They are still

tools of the 1%ers. Unions have their 1%ers also.

[Logical]

6. This is not unusual. Don't sign a damn contract. Or if you do honor it. nt

[kcr]

7. You don't believe there should be limits?

Because there are. You can't just write up a contract and put in any old thing you want to and think it will hold up under the law. It is absolutely ludicrous that a court did so in this case, but, Texas.

[yeoman6987]

9. Lol. This was reviewed by lawyers guaranteed by the company

Too bad she thought she could get away with leaving a year early. I'm glad she has to pay 100 grand. Serves her right. She was given other options and said no. Pay the piper now. Lol.

[kcr]

10. Lol. So, you think corporations are never ruled against? They all have lawyers.

Lawyers are never wrong. Lolololol! Uber could tell you otherwise.

[yeoman6987]

11. The woman was given 3 options and turned them down

The company covered themselves.

[kcr]

12. So, corporations should be able do do whatever they want, then.

Good thing enough people disagree with your pov or we never would have heard of weekends, 40 hour work weeks, and child labor laws.

[yeoman6987]

13. Enough. You didn't read the article.

[kcr]

14. ROFL!

Look up contracts and unconscionability. It's the reason there's a good chance this will be overturned on appeal. Lol!

[yeoman6987]

16. No it won't!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[LanternWaste]

19. You should add another exclamation point

You should add another exclamation point. I think it may make the all difference.

[Orrex]

17. She probably tried to drop her cellphone plan, too.

[JCMach1]

18. Irony is, she could have probably gotten herself fired and it wouldn't have applied...