Review the employment agreement before you sign the covenants.
The lasting risk in an offer is in the restrictive covenants and the exit terms, not the salary. Upload the agreement, offer letter, non-compete, or NDA and get a report on the non-compete, equity, the definition of "cause," severance, IP assignment, and arbitration — each tied to a quote from the document.
- Catch restrictive-covenant and termination traps before you sign
- Free preview first — unlock the full report for $30
- Covers agreements, offer letters, non-competes, non-solicits, and NDAs
Last reviewed: May 26, 2026 by the BizLeaseCheck Editorial Team. General information, not legal advice.
Executive Employment Agreement Analysis
A representative employment / nda sample report — danger score 95/100, 8 red flags with verbatim evidence quotes, no signup needed.
Compare: AI vs. an employment attorney · vs. doing it yourself
What the employment analyzer checks
The review works through the restrictive covenants, the conditions on pay and equity, and the termination and dispute terms that decide what an employment agreement really costs you.
Non-compete
Scope, duration, and geography of the non-compete — flagged with the reminder that enforceability is highly state-specific and needs a licensed attorney.
Non-solicitation
Customer and employee (anti-raiding) non-solicits, including clauses that bar accepting business rather than just soliciting it.
Confidentiality / NDA
Whether "confidential information" is overbroad or perpetual, and whether it improperly limits reporting illegal conduct to a government agency.
IP / invention assignment
How broadly the company claims what you create, and whether a state-required carve-out for own-time inventions is missing.
Equity & vesting
Vesting schedule and cliff, single- vs double-trigger acceleration, and the post-termination option-exercise window.
Compensation & clawbacks
Discretionary vs guaranteed bonus, the "employed on the payout date" forfeiture trap, commission terms, and clawback triggers.
Termination & "cause"
At-will status, how narrowly "cause" is defined, and whether you have a "good reason" trigger for severance.
Severance & release
Severance amount and conditions, the scope of the release of claims, and the OWBPA rules that apply to workers 40 and older.
Arbitration & class waivers
Mandatory arbitration, class/collective-action waivers, and the EFAA carve-out for sexual-harassment and sexual-assault claims.
A review that takes your side
Employment paperwork is drafted for the company. This analyzer reads it for you — choose the Employee or Employer perspective — and flags the restrictive covenants, the equity and severance terms, and the arbitration clause, backed by source-cited guides on non-compete enforceability, invention-assignment carve-outs, and the EFAA.
Browse the employment guidesWhat you get
- A 0–100 danger score with a category-by-category breakdown
- An employment-terms summary: role, base salary, equity and vesting, the restrictive covenants, termination and severance, arbitration, and governing law
- Prioritized red flags — each tied to a short quote pulled from your own agreement
- Key dates: start date, equity cliff, covenant expiration, and any offer-acceptance deadline
- A ready-to-send negotiation email written from your side (employee or employer)
How it works
Go deeper: employment guides
Source-cited guides on the clauses that decide employment-agreement risk.
How to Review an Employment Agreement Before You Sign
Most of the long-term risk in an employment agreement is in the covenants and the termination terms — not the salary. Here is the order to read them in.
Non-Compete Agreements: Are They Enforceable?
A non-compete can limit where you work next — but whether it is enforceable depends heavily on your state, and the FTC’s nationwide ban is not in effect.
Non-Solicitation Agreements: Employees and Customers
A non-solicit lets you work for a competitor but bars you from taking customers or colleagues with you — a narrower restriction than a non-compete, but still one to read closely.
NDAs & Confidentiality Clauses in Employment
An employment NDA is normal — but a perpetual, overbroad one that bars protected reporting is a red flag. Know the limits the law already places on it.
IP & Invention Assignment Clauses in Employment
An invention-assignment clause can hand the company everything you create — including side projects — unless a state-required carve-out protects your own-time inventions.
At-Will Employment, "Cause," and Termination Terms
Most U.S. employment is at-will, but how the agreement defines "cause" and "good reason" can decide whether you walk away with severance and vested equity.
Severance & Release Agreements: What to Check
Severance is almost always offered in exchange for a release of claims — and if you are 40 or older, federal law gives you specific time and disclosure rights before you sign.
Startup Equity, Vesting & Option Exercise Windows
Equity can be the most valuable part of an offer or an illusion — the vesting schedule, acceleration, and exercise window decide which.
Compensation, Bonuses & Clawbacks in Employment
A bonus you can only collect if you are still employed on the payout date, or a commission the plan can change at will, may be worth far less than the headline.
Mandatory Arbitration & Class-Action Waivers at Work
A mandatory arbitration clause sends your future disputes to a private forum and often waives class actions — but a federal law carves out sexual-harassment and sexual-assault claims.
Offer Letter vs Employment Agreement: What Binds You
A friendly offer letter can still bind you to a non-compete, an NDA, and mandatory arbitration through the documents it incorporates — read what it attaches.
Employment Agreement Red Flags: A Checklist
A fast checklist of the clauses that most often work against the employee — grouped by covenants, pay, and exit.
Frequently asked questions
Are non-compete agreements enforceable?
It depends heavily on your state — some states (such as California) void employee non-competes, while others enforce reasonable ones. There is no nationwide federal ban: the FTC’s 2024 rule was set aside by a court and is not in effect. The analyzer flags the non-compete and reminds you to confirm enforceability with a state-licensed attorney.
What documents does this cover?
Executive employment agreements, offer letters, standalone non-compete and non-solicitation agreements, confidentiality/NDAs, and invention-assignment agreements — including the equity, severance, and arbitration terms attached to them.
Can it review from the employer’s side too?
Yes. Choose the Employee or Employer perspective. The employer view focuses on keeping restrictive covenants narrow enough to actually be enforceable and compliant with state-specific requirements, rather than merely aggressive.
Is this legal advice?
No. This is general information and document-review prompts. Non-compete enforceability and other restrictive-covenant questions depend on the exact terms and your state — confirm specifics with a qualified employment attorney before signing.