california contract-law employment
Am I obligated to sign contracts and fill out paperwork post termination?
<p>I was asked to resign from a startup then sometime down the line the company asked me sign the following documents</p>

<ol>
<li>Terms of Resignation</li>
<li>Employee Invention Assignment and Confidentiality Agreement</li>
<li>2014 W9 form</li>
</ol>

<p>Some background:</p>

<ul>
<li>I was a contractor in 2013 briefly</li>
<li>Has been a full-time employee since after the contracting period</li>
<li>I did early exercise some stock options</li>
<li>Not all of my stock has been vested</li>
</ul>

<p>If anyone has knowledge or experience on the matter, please enlighten me? For example, do I have any obligation to return these documents? If I do not, are there any negative side effects on my vested stock?</p>

<p>If you want to protect yourself or any property interests you may have in this circumstance you have to talk to a lawyer.  You cannot get (or trust) legal advice from the internet.</p>

<p>I will, however, make the following personal observations:</p>

<ol>
<li>I only provide a W-9 to people who are paying me money, and who request it as a condition of paying me.  I don't know of a <em>legal requirement</em> to supply it after the fact.  However, not providing it to someone who did pay you more than $600 in a tax year could certainly make it difficult for them to comply with <em>their</em> tax filing obligations.</li>
<li>I do not sign any agreements, assignments, or contracts, without what I consider to be fair consideration.  E.g., if on leaving a job (as has happened) I am asked by a former employer to sign something that I am not already obligated to sign due to some prior contract, then I negotiate what is commonly called a "severance package."  They pay me and/or extend benefits, and I sign something that limits their liability.</li>
</ol>

<p>Is it normal? Some of the forms can be normal to have requested before leaving.
Will they impact your current stock options? They should not. Your vesting is a separate contract. I would review it to make sure.</p>

<p>1) Terms of Resignation
This could be normal. You are not required to sign this form. This may be a severance package of some type, which may be in your benefit. I would have a lawyer review this document first.</p>

<p>2) Employee Invention Assignment and Confidentiality Agreement
This should have been signed when you were hired on. not when you are leaving. Unless it is apart of something larger, I would be cautious of this document.</p>

<p>3) 2014 W9 form</p>

<p>W9 forms are TIN verification. It sounds like there accounting is missing some documents. No this is very odd to have to fill out unless you are changing your tax status. </p>

<p>You should bring all of the documents to a lawyer and have him/her review them with you.</p>
