3 ms·

But you always have a choice. Nobody can force you to be acquired... that would be slavery. The seller can require as part of the deal the buyer offer to keep a

But you always have a choice. Nobody can force you to be acquired... that would be slavery. The seller can require as part of the deal the buyer offer to keep a certain amount of people at a certain pay. Buyer can accept that deal or negotiate. But at the end of the day, every employee has a choice to sign the new contract or not. So anyone who got "locked up" in a 2-4 year contract did so because they felt it was a good move for them (or at least better than not having a job).

hga 13y ago
Indeed. But I'm pretty sure they got a "sign this soon or leave" offer than many chose not to refuse.
- mikeash 13y ago
  Even then, they can leave Yahoo at any time if they change their minds. They'll just lose out on their big payday.
  - hga 13y ago
    Outside of California they might be ... hindered by non-competes. I was once in this position: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6148918 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6148918 and one of the many reasons I didn't accept the offer was that non-competes were enforceable in my state, the contact had a nasty one, and the acquiring company did business with so many of the area's organizations that I would have been seriously disadvantaged when it came time to separate.
    - mikeash 13y ago
      Yuck. Fortunately, both companies in this case are in California.
thezilch 13y ago
It's a silly "choice;" employees shouldn't be treated with handcuffs. You should be offering them a clear incentive to NOT leave with the cash. Unfortunately, a lot of developers going to work for a startup have a starry-eyed perspective that the 80hr week is going to pay itself back in droves and without the golden handcuffs. Then reality sets in; the seller doesn't necessarily think much about his employee's outlook -- "dude, you get to work for Yahoo!!!!" Employees of startups need to be reminded to not take cuts, because the buyout should be gravy; it will likely never come or come with a heavy ball-n-chain.

hga 13y ago

Indeed. But I'm pretty sure they got a "sign this soon or leave" offer than many chose not to refuse.

mikeash 13y ago
Even then, they can leave Yahoo at any time if they change their minds. They'll just lose out on their big payday.
- hga 13y ago
  Outside of California they might be ... hindered by non-competes. I was once in this position: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6148918 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6148918 and one of the many reasons I didn't accept the offer was that non-competes were enforceable in my state, the contact had a nasty one, and the acquiring company did business with so many of the area's organizations that I would have been seriously disadvantaged when it came time to separate.
  - mikeash 13y ago
    Yuck. Fortunately, both companies in this case are in California.

thezilch 13y ago

It's a silly "choice;" employees shouldn't be treated with handcuffs. You should be offering them a clear incentive to NOT leave with the cash. Unfortunately, a lot of developers going to work for a startup have a starry-eyed perspective that the 80hr week is going to pay itself back in droves and without the golden handcuffs. Then reality sets in; the seller doesn't necessarily think much about his employee's outlook -- "dude, you get to work for Yahoo!!!!" Employees of startups need to be reminded to not take cuts, because the buyout should be gravy; it will likely never come or come with a heavy ball-n-chain.