Well, yes, but you don't have to work.

hippari2 17 hours ago | parent | next [-]

More like you are not allowed to work. Loss of work experience, loss network, not even accounting for inflation.

bigiain 16 hours ago | parent | next [-]

I would welcome an opportunity to walk away from the entire tech industry with a guaranteed-for-life income, allowing me to pursue dreams without them needing to be financially viable. Setting up as a high end timber boat builder without ever needing to turn a profit while still having the same income I do now is something I'd jump at immediately.

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davkan 11 hours ago | parent | next [-]

While I agree with the sentiment, you could lose that income at any time should they close to drop to non compete.

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jaggederest 14 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

Plus, nobody says you can't work in any other field you like, just not whatever you used to do.

Net present value of 50% of salary for the next 30 years is something like a million dollars for most HN commenters, I'd guess.

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bruce511 14 hours ago | parent [-]

Except it's not "for life". It's until they feel free to lift the non-compete. My guess is that most information you take from a company is irrelevant in a couple years. Maybe 5 tops?

Plus it'd almost certainly end with zero notice. You'd get a email saying "you're free to go". Suddenly. After say 26 months.

So it's not like a "pension for life" - just a gap in your employment history.

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jaggederest 11 hours ago | parent [-]

Oh no, ah jeez, slightly more than one year of income for zero effort, darn.

Any employment gap can be easily explained by saying "I was under a non-compete and being paid garden leave while working on personal projects to keep my skills fresh". It's very common in e.g. the finance world, I believe.

	▲	ghaff 7 hours ago \| parent \| next [-]
		I suspect most people with that sentiment don't have a mortgage/kids/etc. I have known youngish people who got a very nice severance package back in the day and essentially took a 6 month sabbatical. I don't really see a problem for getting future jobs so much. But it is a loss of significant income (assuming you were well-compensated even if you're still being paid something) and may not have great alternatives for income though, if you're in the position to do so, you can of course travel or whatever.
	▲	bruce511 4 hours ago \| parent \| prev [-]
		I've no argument with the severance cash, I'm saying that you can't just revert to a hobby because you have an "income for life." The uncertainty means you're still out on the job market looking for a real job.

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sagarm 15 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

And loss of negotiating power -- the company knows your BATNA is garden leave, and probably not a better offer.

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ghaff 17 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

For a lot of people, taking 50% of base salary (absent bonus/RSU/etc.) isn't very practical. Even if there's some alternative like Starbucks.

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kragen 17 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

Doesn't mean you don't have to make the mortgage payment.