Scenario (you finish the story)

[MamaM]

Scenario: Young on-air talent with 2-5 years experience wants out of the television news business. She earns less than $30,000 a year. She isn't an anchor. The station has little invested in her. She works for a struggling television station, with bad management and bad ownership. She consulted an attorney. The contract is air-tight. Question: Will the big bad company sue her if she walks away, or let her go without a fight?

Have you ever walked out on a contract? What were the financial challenges (i.e. lawsuit)? What were the professional challenges?

[Gail sirens]

Why didn't the starry-eyed youngun' consider the poor pay, crappy station, etc. before signing on the dotted line?
Have you talked to those in charge and told them you are leaving the business?

[amp]

Most attorneys worth a nickel can get you out of a contract if you are leaving the business. You aren't a slave. She has a case especially if the station has little invested in her in the form of paying to move her here or sending her to journalism classes. If you are going to another station, that is a different thing.

This is a good reason why any college that has journalism classes needs to have a lawyer talk to the class and teach them not to sign the first offer they get. Yes, jobs in TV are hard to get, but the should own your soul.

[adam & doctor drew]

the station can't stop you from leaving the business.

it probably CAN stop you from leaving to work at a competitor.

[Sir Dropham Pants]

The station's ownership group or company likely has an attorney. I'll venture to say this young reporter does not. True, the company may not force the issue, but is young reporter ready to invest a good bit of her 28k (or whatever the exact figure is) salary in hiring one of her own? She'll have to if the company forces the issue. I'd at the very least consult with a lawyer to see if the contract is truly air tight or not. And when you -errr "she" is talking to said attorney, ask how much it'll cost to fight back if the station does make an issue of it.

[Obewon]

What AMP said.

There is no indentured servitude. The only purpose of an employment contract is to prevent a hop to a competitor. If you are leaving the business there is nothing they can or will do

[Consider This]

Originally posted by Obewon:
What AMP said.

There is no indentured servitude. The only purpose of an employment contract is to prevent a hop to a competitor. If you are leaving the business there is nothing they can or will doTell that to at least one Media General employee I know who quit a producer's job to go into pharmaceutical sales and had to obey the buyout clause in her contract because the station promised it would sue her.

Even if she had a case, could she have afforded the legal fees to fight it?

If your lawyer says your contract is airtight, ask another lawyer. Whatever you do, do not take legal advice from people here. Just because your station can't force indentured servitude on you does not mean it has no legal recourse if you up and quit.

Read your contract again and be especially sure that it doesn't specify that if the station decides to sue you that you are responsible for its legal fees. Sinclair stations have that as a standard clause in their contracts. (Or did when I was offered one a few years ago. I declined.)

[Obewon]

Originally posted by Consider This:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Obewon:
What AMP said.

There is no indentured servitude. The only purpose of an employment contract is to prevent a hop to a competitor. If you are leaving the business there is nothing they can or will doTell that to at least one Media General employee I know who quit a producer's job to go into pharmaceutical sales and had to obey the buyout clause in her contract because the station promised it would sue her.

Even if she had a case, could she have afforded the legal fees to fight it?

If your lawyer says your contract is airtight, ask another lawyer. Whatever you do, do not take legal advice from people here. Just because your station can't force indentured servitude on you does not mean it has no legal recourse if you up and quit.

Read your contract again and be especially sure that it doesn't specify that if the station decides to sue you that you are responsible for its legal fees. Sinclair stations have that as a standard clause in their contracts. (Or did when I was offered one a few years ago. I declined.)</font>[/QUOTE]I'm not disputing you, but I have to believe there is more to the story than just that.

I agree about getting a lawyer, but once you've signed a contract it is too late.

[trunky]

People seem to use notion pretty loosely, "doesn't matter if you're not going to the competition..."

Okay, well it's not always a job across the street in question, is it any different when you're trying to get the same or similar job but in a different market?

[Obewon]

Originally posted by trunky:
People seem to use notion pretty loosely, "doesn't matter if you're not going to the competition..."

Okay, well it's not always a job across the street in question, is it any different when you're trying to get the same or similar job but in a different market?It's not really a term that is used loosely. I've spent twenty five years in management and it is a comment based upon that experience.

Generally speaking (and yes I know there are always exceptions to the rule) contracts in the TV business are designed to keep someone from coming in, getting a lot of exposure and promotion from your station and then leaving to go across the street.

I have never personally (and yes I know someone will cite an exception) where someone was targeted who was simply trying to get out of TV, go home to take care of a sick relative, whatever. Not only is that illegal, it's really bad PR.

Anyone who doesn't have a lawyer review an employment agreement of any kind before signing is really playing with fire.

[Consider This]

Originally posted by Obewon:
I have to believe there is more to the story than just that.What more do you think there is?

[Obewon]

Originally posted by Consider This:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Obewon:
I have to believe there is more to the story than just that.What more do you think there is?</font>[/QUOTE]I don't know, it just doesn't sound right. But if you say it is so, then it must be

[MamaM]

Tell that to at least one Media General employee I know who quit a producer's job to go into pharmaceutical sales and had to obey the buyout clause in her contract because the station promised it would sue her. [/QB]Consider This:
Will you send me a PM?

[News Is Broken]

I bet you... and I'm just speculating... but I bet... that if you (oops I mean she) walk into the GM's office tomorrow at 9AM sharp, smile and say good morning, then without so much as another peep, climb right up on the dude's desk, drop trow, and take a nice steamy dump right there... Well, I just bet that he'll let that lady out of her contract really, really, fast.

[Mayhem]

You can quit. You can always quit.

Either that or walk into the GMs office and let the profanity fly.

[Consider This]

Originally posted by News Is Broken:
climb right up on the dude's desk, drop trow, and take a nice steamy dump right there... Well, I just bet that he'll let that lady out of her contract really, really, fast.Maybe not the first time.

But after about the tenth day in a row, he'll begin to get the hint.

[News Is Broken]

I'd say that if the dump on the GM's desk didn't do it, going to a major sponsor in the sat truck wearing full station logo'd attire and doing it in their lobby would certainly seal the deal.

[!]

Originally posted by MamaM:
Scenario: Young on-air talent with 2-5 years experience wants out of the television news business. She earns less than $30,000 a year. She isn't an anchor. The station has little invested in her. She works for a struggling television station, with bad management and bad ownership. She consulted an attorney. The contract is air-tight. Question: Will the big bad company sue her if she walks away, or let her go without a fight?There is no way to know if you will be sued (yes, we know it's you). Some small stations have vindictive management. Others do not.

I always find it amusing when people sign contracts and then want to know how to get out of them. The attorney is always consulted when the talent wants to get out, NEVER before the document is signed.

[ November 02, 2007, 02:36 PM: Message edited by: ! ]

[Consider This]

Originally posted by News Is Broken:
I'd say that if the dump on the GM's desk didn't do it, going to a major sponsor in the sat truck wearing full station logo'd attire and doing it in their lobby would certainly seal the deal.Either way, it sounds like the solution to her problem lies in a high fiber diet.

[AnchorsAway]

I'd go with a few days of high fiber colon cleanse pills capped off by a can of corn.