[Foundation-l] Future board meeting (5-7 april 08)

[Thomas Dalton]

>  - begin quote -
>  NON-DISPARAGEMENT AND CONSIDERATION. Both Employer and Employee
>  agree that the free and open exchange of ideas and information among employees,
>  contractors, and agents of the Foundation is to be encouraged.
>  Employee agrees that, during the term of employment and for three
>  years thereafter, Employee shall not, in any
>  communications with the press or other media, or any customer, client
>  or supplier of
>  company, or any of company affiliates, ridicule or make any statement
>  that personally
>  disparages or is derogatory of Employer or its affiliates or any of
>  their respective directors,
>  trustees, or senior officers. Additionally, and in consideration of
>  Employee's covenants in
>  this agreement, no directory senior officer of Employer or member of
>  the Board of Trustees
>  of the Employer will, during the same time period, personally
>  criticize, ridicule or make any
>  statement that personally disparages or is derogatory of employee.
>  - end quote -

That's lawyerspeak for "You mustn't say bad things about your boss
(and vice versa)." I would never have signed that. It doesn't even
acknowledge the Whistleblowing policy, which is directly contradicts
(presumably that policy takes precedence, but I would have expected it
to be made explicit). The Whistleblowing policy only applies if what
you're complaining about is actually illegal. If you just think your
boss has been doing an appalling job, you're not allowed to do
anything about it. Saying untrue, or purely hurtful things is clearly
unacceptable, but anyone should be able to stand up and tell the truth
as they see it.