Is My Employment Contract Fair? Fairness Assessment
Employment contracts can be unfair: one-sided terms, low salary, dangerous clauses. Is yours fair? Use this assessment.
Fairness Metrics
(1) SALARY FAIRNESS: Is salary within market range for your role/region/experience? (2) BONUS FAIRNESS: Is bonus guaranteed or discretionary? Reasonable %? (3) EQUITY FAIRNESS: Is grant size reasonable for company stage/role? (4) BENEFITS FAIRNESS: Are benefits competitive (health, PTO, 401k)? (5) SEVERANCE FAIRNESS: Is severance reasonable if laid off? (6) TERMS FAIRNESS: Are restrictive clauses (non-compete, clawback) reasonable or one-sided? (7) MUTUAL FAIRNESS: Do terms apply equally to you and company, or are they one-sided?
One-Sided Clauses
ONE-SIDED: "Non-compete applies to you but not company." "You have notice period but company doesn't." "Arbitration required for you but company can sue in court." FAIR: "Both sides have 2-week notice period." "Either party can sue or arbitrate." "Restrictions apply to both parties."
Fairness Decision
FAIR: Salary at market, benefits competitive, terms balanced. MOSTLY FAIR: Salary slightly low but benefits good. ONE RED FLAG: One unfair clause but otherwise good. UNFAIR: Multiple one-sided terms or extremely low salary/benefits.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know what's market rate?
Use Levels.fyi, Glassdoor, Payscale for your role/region. Compare to multiple sources.
If contract is unfair, should I reject it?
Not necessarily. Try negotiating first. Many unfair terms improve after negotiation.
What if I can't find comparable salary data?
Ask peers (if possible), ask recruiter, ask in industry forums. If salary is vague, ask HR to be specific.
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