Sinclair-Style Employment Contracts That Require Payment for Quitting are Uncommon
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Sinclair Broadcast Group, a company that owns local news stations across the country, is itself in the news for requiring its newscasters to read a script about “one-sided news stories plaguing our country.”
The Conversation reports that some Sinclair employees have said that their employment contracts made it prohibitively expensive to walk away.
Elizabeth C. Tippett, associate professor of law at the University of Oregon and author of the article, offers her take on the issue: “A Los Angeles Times journalist posted an excerpt of a contract that he claims to have received from a Sinclair employee. After reviewing it, I agree with other attorneys who noted that the legality of the provision depends on whether the fine is similar to the costs Sinclair would incur if the employee leaves prematurely.”
