MrBeast has an unusual legal 'expectation' for departing employees

MrBeast, the prominent YouTuber known by his real name Jimmy Donaldson, has an atypical expectation for employees who leave the company. According to a letter outlining obligations for departing staff, the world's top YouTuber does not want them to post about him or his business, Beast Industries, on social media, even if they are sharing positive messages.

This unusual provision has drawn criticism from labor lawyers who deem the language in the letter unusually broad. The letter also prohibits employees from disclosing confidential company information or making false or negative statements about Beast Industries. Three employment lawyers believe the letter has some uncommon features, particularly the references to social media.

Evan Fray-Witzer, an attorney who works with creators, stated that the language in the MrBeast letter is broader than typical nondisparagement clauses he has seen. The letter extends to all comments, not just negative ones, and covers any post that references the company. This level of restriction may be seen as absurd, as it even prohibits liking a MrBeast post.

Russell Berger, an employment lawyer, noted that while such language might be understandable in the context of a social media star's company, the letter is unusually formal, long, and cold in tone. He described it as a way of putting employees on notice of their limitations. Fray-Witzer suggested that the company's intention is understandable, as it likely does not want former employees to undermine its brand or profit from MrBeast's content.

However, the lawyers who spoke with Business Insider believe the letter is not a contract and is unlikely to be enforceable. If an employee had previously agreed not to comment on Beast Industries on social media, and then did so, the company might have grounds for legal action, but proving damages could be challenging. Even if the language is not enforceable, it could still have a chilling effect, causing employees to think twice before speaking about the company or its founder.