I’m going to Sorenson tomorrow!

Ariakkas said:
when you work for sorenson, they make you sign a contract saying that you wont work for another vrs for 2 years after you leave sorenson.


that means if they hire you, and you sign it, then move and there is no sorenson center, or you get fired, or you quit for whatever reason, no other vrs service can or will hire you.
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That's new to me... but I wouldn't be surprised if this was true. Heh!
 
I heard it was one year; be that as it may, I would love to hear the raison de 'etre for this employment stipulation. Anybody know? Etoile? Ariakkas?
 
Ariakkas said:
when you work for sorenson, they make you sign a contract saying that you wont work for another vrs for 2 years after you leave sorenson.


that means if they hire you, and you sign it, then move and there is no sorenson center, or you get fired, or you quit for whatever reason, no other vrs service can or will hire you.
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I thought it was 1 year?
 
VamPyroX said:
That's new to me... but I wouldn't be surprised if this was true. Heh!
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It is true. Sorenson made their interpreters sign a contract that they cannot work for another relay service until 12 months has passed. Also, I had a hunch the interps were told not to talk about how much they get paid to work at Sorenson.

As far as I know, the best paying video relay service for interpreters to work for is HOVRS.
 
Yes, I can confirm it is a 1-year no-compete requirement. The only interpreters who are exempt are at the Washington DC center, because technically we are Gallaudet Interpreting Service (GIS) employees and not Sorenson employees. Sorenson doesn't have any other partner arrangements though, so only GIS interpreters are exempt from the 1-year rule.

As for pay, well, I will just say that I feel I am being fairly compensated for my CI/CT and experience level. :giggle:
 
Etoile, was there a reason you passed over my post/question?
 
Tousi said:
Etoile, was there a reason you passed over my post/question?
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Oh! Sorry Tousi. I have no idea why this rule is in place, I think it's kind of excessive but I don't know the rationale behind it at all.
 
Etoile said:
Oh! Sorry Tousi. I have no idea why this rule is in place, I think it's kind of excessive but I don't know the rationale behind it at all.
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Ok, thanks; now I, bereft of the answer, am left to thinking that in the meantime, these interpreters who quit are left in limbo for a year, thus exacerbating an already critical shortage of certified terps caused by the VRS industry as a whole.
 
Tousi said:
Ok, thanks; now I, bereft of the answer, am left to thinking that in the meantime, these interpreters who quit are left in limbo for a year, thus exacerbating an already critical shortage of certified terps caused by the VRS industry as a whole.
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My assumption is that they become community interpreters for a year. It usually doesn't pay as well as VRS but it'll get you through the one-year requirement. I'm pretty sure ex-Sorenson terps are allowed to be community interpreters, you're just not allowed to work VRS for a year.
 
Etoile said:
My assumption is that they become community interpreters for a year. It usually doesn't pay as well as VRS but it'll get you through the one-year requirement. I'm pretty sure ex-Sorenson terps are allowed to be community interpreters, you're just not allowed to work VRS for a year.
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Oic, okay, thanks and if that assumption's correct, I don't mind because there's just way, way too many VRS companies out there to serve the population (in my estimation) and when the FCC rightly cuts the rates next year, it will be a natural survival of the fittest occuring down to parity. And one result of this domino effect to right this scenario would be a better balance in the number and quality of interpreters. Capitalism 101, no? Lol, I'm rambling; nevermind me....
 
A lawyer friend of mine told me that those non-competitive contracts aren't not always so binding as people think. Much of it is a scare tactic to keep employees in line. In business, it's aimed more at company executives who might decide to become entrepreneurs and start their own competitive businesses. It usually doesn't have such a binding effect on hourly workers. Some non-competitive agreements also depend on the manner in which the employment relationship was severed. That is, different things happen if a person is fired or laid off, than if that person quits, moves, or gets called up for active duty. A contract is not always binding if it prevents a person from making a living.

All I'm saying is, don't take that agreement at face value. Ask an expert who specializes in contract law.
 
Ariakkas said:
when you work for sorenson, they make you sign a contract saying that you wont work for another vrs for 2 years after you leave sorenson.
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What is the penalty if the terp quits and works for another company before the 2 years is up?
 
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