RLT NON-COMPETE

[anonymous]

I encourage everyone to talk to their supervisor and P&O and voice concerns. There is pushback and we all need to speak up, even if we have to sign in the end….the deal only benefits NVS and materially harms employees.

Because Dez and Victor are completely reasonable people, they will take your concerns to the legal department and advocate on your behalf.
At the very least, you will provide your A.B.L. with a good laugh.

 

[anonymous]

I encourage everyone to talk to their supervisor and P&O and voice concerns. There is pushback and we all need to speak up, even if we have to sign in the end….the deal only benefits NVS and materially harms employees.

100%

 

[Anonymous #23]

Textbook example of how to destroy the culture of the company’s priority therapeutic area in just one day. I’ll be honest, the non compete bothers me. It can be legal but in my view is unethical and imoral. What really bothers me though is having confirmation that leadership is not very bright… I know, I know I’m naive but there was always that hope that they were smart and capable people. Fast forward a few
months and imagine folks - locked at nvs for the wrong reasons - having to listen to these people at 1H talking about how people, culture, values and patients are important. As i said, not very bright.

 

[anonymous]

Textbook example of how to destroy the culture of the company’s priority therapeutic area in just one day. I’ll be honest, the non compete bothers me. It can be legal but in my view is unethical and imoral. What really bothers me though is having confirmation that leadership is not very bright… I know, I know I’m naive but there was always that hope that they were smart and capable people. Fast forward a few
months and imagine folks - locked at nvs for the wrong reasons - having to listen to these people at 1H talking about how people, culture, values and patients are important. As i said, not very bright.

Non-competes are industry standard, and nobody should be remotely surprised you are being asked to sign one.
But leave it to Novartis to turn it into an unprofessional, embarrassing quagmire. They should have had you signing them as a term of employment; if they are forcing it on you after you've been hired they are even more incompetent than I gave them credit for.
Just staggering ineptitude from top to bottom.

 

[anonymous]

Blatant leadership failure that betrays employees. It's a short-sighted, draconian tactic that will destroy morale, repel talent, and lays bare the toxic work environment that Novartis has become. Leaders would focus on retaining staff through positive measures, not treating them as threats. This move screams of insecurity and control, proving that the real danger to our company's success isn't ambitious employees but rather incompetent leadership. Suggest anyone who can negotiate fair terms for yourself. This is shameful.

Novartis has always been saturated with toxicity and incompetence at the executive level, they just aren’t attempting to ride it any longer.

 

[anonymous]

There is something going on here with favoritism towards certain women. I have been in the industry for a very long time and I have never seen so many unqualified or under qualified women getting promoted into roles they have no business being in. Just look at some of the recent promotions at the Director and ED level across all business units - in sales, training, marketing, patient services, operations etc. It is so obvious

My comment had nothing to do with the sex of said employee, but Novartis’ hypocritical and borderline illegal practices in RLT. You’re entitled to your opinion, but it has nothing to do with the non-compete. Please take your comments to a different thread.

 

[anonymous]

My comment had nothing to do with the sex of said employee, but Novartis’ hypocritical and borderline illegal practices in RLT. You’re entitled to your opinion, but it has nothing to do with the non-compete. Please take your comments to a different thread.

Oh shut up - there are many comments on this thread regarding leadership. I simply pointed out that RLT isn’t the only place where you find people who aren’t qualified to be in their role. Sadly, you must be one of the new hires that came to the RLT thinking it was something different and special. It has its shit like everywhere else in the company. Oops, my comment has nothing to do with the non-compete. Go whine somewhere else Karen

 

[anonymous]

This isn’t even a retention bonus, it’s a “grab these reps by the balls and give them 2 weeks to sign or else lose their job” douchebag move. The carrot is MAYBE you’ll make some extra money if you’re 100% to goal even though we don’t know how to goal territories 2 years into launch. Meanwhile we still continue to piss off customers with issues. If don’t ever want to hear that people and culture are the North Star ever again. Puke.

 

[anonymous]

This isn’t even a retention bonus, it’s a “grab these reps by the balls and give them 2 weeks to sign or else lose their job” douchebag move. The carrot is MAYBE you’ll make some extra money if you’re 100% to goal even though we don’t know how to goal territories 2 years into launch. Meanwhile we still continue to piss off customers with issues. If don’t ever want to hear that people and culture are the North Star ever again. Puke.

#unbossed
You're upset they don't know how to goal it two years in?
Ask your Leqvio counterparts what it looks like four years in (sorry, but your production issues count).

 

[anonymous]

So….is everyone just folding and signing??? Anyone know of people who will refuse?

 

[anonymous]

There are people not signing and I consider them absolute f**ing geniuses maybe even heros.. Bravo and well done. You can’t tell someone they can’t work for anyone else for a year if they leave or are let go. Yeah, these non competes won’t hold up in court - but who is going to fight large pharma!? Not me. Worst case scenario it takes 6 months to find another job. Novartis is only making their reputation worse. This is why I have 6 months in the bank for this kind of messed up scenario. I would recommend ANYONE who can afford to do so — do not sign and get “voluntarily laid off”. They will have to backfill. What’s the answer to why this position is open— ‘because we mid-way forced people into a non compete”?! Yeh- we pay well— but you are screwed long term. I’m good at what I do— but this is bullying and definitely the low point of my career coming to work for Novartis. Come October - good luck rehiring for a position where you bullied someone out. The word is out there.

 

[anonymous]

In order to be considered legal, “compensation” must be given in return for a non-compete agreement. In this agreement, RSU’s are awarded but no monetary compensation is received until 2027. Is this a loophole we could exploit?

Unfortunately this is only true in SOME states. Not all states require compensation to be given in exchange for a noncompete. You should absolutely speak with an employment lawyer ASAP and clarify this situation for your state specifically. Because employment law varies so much state by state, there is not much of a play for the collective “us” to come together. Best case scenario is to schedule a call with you P&O partner asap to voice your concerns. Then get a good employment lawyer to go over the docs and then advise you on changes to submit to HR.

 

[anonymous]

Any update you can share?

thank you!

What I learned is that because employment law varies so greatly state to state, coming together to retain counsel is not a great strategy for situations like this. Here is what you can do and should do:
1) schedule a call with your P&O partner ASAP. Express your concerns, questions, etc. It is crucial that anyone on the fence about signing has a direct conversation wkth P&O to express themselves. This is the most impactful step we can all take to make it clear that the majority of us are not comfortable signing this in its current form.
2) consider hiring an employment attorney to enter into a terms negotiation. This is a customary and straightforward process. Your attorney will be able to guide you on the steps to take.

In the documents and emails Novartis is encouraging us to take these steps. Do them. The more noise the better.

I’m just a dude trying to not hate my company. Is that too much to ask?!?!

 

[anonymous]

P&O told my colleague today that the nonsolicitation meant that we cannot call on any of our same customers for 1 year regardless of way we are selling. Ex: go to another company and sell an oral oncolytic for prostate… illegal to call on any of the docs you called on for Novartis RLT. Ex: go to another company to sell a breast infusion… illegal to call on any of the docs you called on for Novartis RLT.

Colleague said they expressed major concern over this and P&O will follow up to make sure they are 100% correct… but this is fucking terrifying. I will be scheduling a call just to talk through this point… what the f is happening here?

 

[anonymous]

How much RSU is being offered?

 

[anonymous]

The dipshits at Novartis know they have a shitty culture, voila! the non-compete. The board needs to excise the leadership including the DEI dummies (see: Racheapa, Deh, and their underling dingleberries)

 

[anonymous]

Leave it to the clowns known as Fowler and Dez to make sure we can’t work anywhere else to pay our bills if they let us go

 

[anonymous]

There are people not signing and I consider them absolute f**ing geniuses maybe even heros.. Bravo and well done. You can’t tell someone they can’t work for anyone else for a year if they leave or are let go. Yeah, these non competes won’t hold up in court - but who is going to fight large pharma!? Not me. Worst case scenario it takes 6 months to find another job. Novartis is only making their reputation worse. This is why I have 6 months in the bank for this kind of messed up scenario. I would recommend ANYONE who can afford to do so — do not sign and get “voluntarily laid off”. They will have to backfill. What’s the answer to why this position is open— ‘because we mid-way forced people into a non compete”?! Yeh- we pay well— but you are screwed long term. I’m good at what I do— but this is bullying and definitely the low point of my career coming to work for Novartis. Come October - good luck rehiring for a position where you bullied someone out. The word is out there.

I don’t want to be an asshole but what planet are you from? There were literally hundreds of applicants for each RLT role. Novartis looks for a square peg that fits in a round hole always when trying to hire for new teams and therapies. But don’t be fooled there are so many people who can backfill you in a minute with good experience. Novartis doesn’t care. We are all replaceable

 

[anonymous]

There are people not signing and I consider them absolute f**ing geniuses maybe even heros.. Bravo and well done. You can’t tell someone they can’t work for anyone else for a year if they leave or are let go. Yeah, these non competes won’t hold up in court - but who is going to fight large pharma!? Not me. Worst case scenario it takes 6 months to find another job. Novartis is only making their reputation worse. This is why I have 6 months in the bank for this kind of messed up scenario. I would recommend ANYONE who can afford to do so — do not sign and get “voluntarily laid off”. They will have to backfill. What’s the answer to why this position is open— ‘because we mid-way forced people into a non compete”?! Yeh- we pay well— but you are screwed long term. I’m good at what I do— but this is bullying and definitely the low point of my career coming to work for Novartis. Come October - good luck rehiring for a position where you bullied someone out. The word is out there.

Your naivete is heartbreaking. The entire industry in on fire right now and there are probably 250 people who would crawl over broken glass to fill your spot.
Novartis knows this, and they will proceed accordingly. If you think making you sign a non-compete, that they probably wouldn't bother to enforce, is the worst thing they will do to you, you are obviously new here.
Of course, it is arrogant and completely unprofessional to ask you to do it after you've been hired, but literally everything senior management does here is arrogant and completely unprofessional.
A year from now you won't even remember they did this, because they will have embarrassed themselves a half-dozen times in far more egregious ways than this.

 

[anonymous]

There are people not signing and I consider them absolute f**ing geniuses maybe even heros.. Bravo and well done. You can’t tell someone they can’t work for anyone else for a year if they leave or are let go. Yeah, these non competes won’t hold up in court - but who is going to fight large pharma!? Not me. Worst case scenario it takes 6 months to find another job. Novartis is only making their reputation worse. This is why I have 6 months in the bank for this kind of messed up scenario. I would recommend ANYONE who can afford to do so — do not sign and get “voluntarily laid off”. They will have to backfill. What’s the answer to why this position is open— ‘because we mid-way forced people into a non compete”?! Yeh- we pay well— but you are screwed long term. I’m good at what I do— but this is bullying and definitely the low point of my career coming to work for Novartis. Come October - good luck rehiring for a position where you bullied someone out. The word is out there.

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