> Having worked as a consultant, I'm repulsed by the idea that I'd need my company's permission to leave and go work for a client
For a large consultancy with many clients, I agree.
But when a significant portion of your employer's income is a single client:
Are you comfortable with that single client of your employer having a strong incentive to make your job redundant so they can try to hire you under worse terms (as you suddenly lost your job)?
You don't need your company's permission, you're unemployed.
I guess what I'm thinking is something more along the lines of not hiring employees immediately after making them redundant through your own actions?
>> Are you comfortable with that single client of your employer having a strong incentive to make your job redundant so they can try to hire you under worse terms (as you suddenly lost your job)?
I understand what you mean, and that situation doesn't seem desirable either, but I think that that is very uncommon when compared to companies trying to retain/squeeze employees using contracts with employment restrictions.
For a large consultancy with many clients, I agree.
But when a significant portion of your employer's income is a single client:
Are you comfortable with that single client of your employer having a strong incentive to make your job redundant so they can try to hire you under worse terms (as you suddenly lost your job)?
You don't need your company's permission, you're unemployed.
I guess what I'm thinking is something more along the lines of not hiring employees immediately after making them redundant through your own actions?