Employment agreements: clauses that can change an NP's life

An employment agreement is a legal contract that spells out the conditions of a working relationship between an employer and employee. Nurse practitioners (NPs) are being offered employment agreements. These documents are complex, lengthy, and require careful analysis. Three clauses commonly found in employment agreements are especially difficult to interpret and can have profound effects on an NP's life. These clauses are restrictive covenants, bonus formulas, and termination clauses. Restrictive covenants require an NP to promise-up front-not to compete with an employer when the present employment ends. Bonus formulas specify conditions under which an employer rewards an NP for superior performance. Termination clauses specify that an employer may end the agreement, without cause, with 30 days' notice. This article gives examples of each type of clause and advises NPs about how to negotiate reasonable terms.