I was laid off from my job after a little less than a year. I was strangely ecstatic about this fact. I literally called that it was going to happen and was looking for another job so I could comfortably quit when it happened. I was surprised to learn that I would also receive 1 week of severance pay…with a catch. I would have to sign a gag order and never say anything negative about Company 5, their holding company or anyone that has ever worked there or Company 5 could sue me. I asked if the agreement could be edited and the head of HR ignored me until I was able to confront her in person. I was told she could not edit the agreement. So I told her I would not be signing anything. She looked surprised.
The thought that they would dangle money in front of someone who had just been fired sickened me. It wasn’t even that I was planning to say anything particularly negative about the company. I was just going to tell the truth: good and bad. If one of my friends was interviewing there and asked me what it was like I would tell them positive and negative information to help them make an informed decision. This gag order wouldn’t even have let me say that I can’t say anything because of a gag order. Further, most of HR did not even know this gag order exists. Only the head of HR. It seems quite shady. I’m extremely glad that I was in the position to say no to ‘free’ money – the only cost of it would have been my integrity.