[MrCheeze]

Two reasons why I don't particularly believe him:

1) Altman's companies have had similar clauses before: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40396787

2) The entire OpenAI board debacle started because Sam wanted Helen Toner removed from the board for publishing a paper he felt was disparaging to the company: https://thezvi.substack.com/p/openai-the-battle-of-the-board

[orionsbelt]

You are confusing two issues. It is standard practice for companies to require a separation agreement with a release of claims and non disparagement clause in connection with receiving any severance, including keeping a laptop like in item 1 you linked to. Companies are not going to pay you or give you something of value and then have you turn around and sue them or disparage them and cause problems.

Sam’s current tweet is solely about whether vested equity could be clawed back as a penalty for refusing to agree to a non disparagement in connection with a separation if you don’t agree to non disparagement and a release of claims. That is well outside the norms.

[toomuchtodo]

Requiring non disparagement is now in violation of labor law per the NLRB as of February 2023. If someone is putting one in front of you, contact the NLRB and an employment attorney to pursue recourse.

https://www.nlrb.gov/news-outreach/news-story/board-rules-th... (“Board Rules that Employers May Not Offer Severance Agreements Requiring Employees to Broadly Waive Labor Law Rights”)

https://www.axios.com/2023/03/27/labor-board-says-non-dispar... (“Labor Board says non-disparagement clauses are unlawful — here’s what that means”)

[yowzadave]

Also, why is he requiring ex-employees to reach out to him privately to work something out on a case-by-case basis when he could just unilaterally and publicly dissolve that clause for former employees

[jasonm23]

That and having a stellar record of being a duplicitous individual