For job seekers & employees
Contract review for job offers
A job offer is exciting, and easy to sign without reading the parts that shape your next few years: what you can do afterwards, who owns your side projects, and how either side can end things.
ClauseShift reads the offer and quotes the exact clause behind every risk, so you can ask the right questions before you accept.
What to watch for
Broad non-competes
Watch for restrictions that are too wide in scope, geography, or duration, or that try to limit work in ways local law may not even enforce. Ask to narrow them to what the role justifies.
Sweeping IP assignment
Some offers claim ownership of everything you create, including personal side projects on your own time. Look for a carve-out for pre-existing and unrelated work.
Notice and clawbacks
Unbalanced notice periods and sign-on or bonus clawbacks can tie you in. Check what you owe if you leave and when.
Arbitration and disputes
Mandatory arbitration and class-action waivers are common and easy to miss. Know what rights you are agreeing to give up.
Guides for you
Understand a job offer before you accept: non-compete scope, IP assignment, notice periods, clawbacks, and arbitration, explained in plain English with the change to negotiate on each.
What a non-compete really restricts and whether it can hold up: scope, duration, geography, non-solicit and garden-leave traps, and the change to ask for on each before you sign.
Before you sign on your way out: the release of claims, non-disparagement and confidentiality, restrictive covenants, the payment terms, references, and your time to consider, in plain English.
Employee or independent contractor? The difference decides your tax, benefits, IP, and legal protections, and it turns on how you actually work, not the label in the contract. How to tell which you are, and the misclassification red flags to check.
Frequently asked questions
What should I check in a job offer before accepting?
The non-compete and non-solicit scope, intellectual-property assignment, notice period, any bonus or relocation clawback, and whether disputes go to mandatory arbitration. ClauseShift flags each with the clause quoted.
Can it review a contractor agreement too?
Yes. It also helps you see whether an arrangement looks like employment or independent contracting, which affects tax, benefits, and IP defaults.
Is it free?
Three reviews a month are free with no card, and your first review gets the full two-model cross-check. Pro and pay-as-you-go credits are available if you need more.
ClauseShift provides informational risk summaries and is not a substitute for legal advice. Review important agreements with a qualified professional before acting.