throwaway2037 parent
Oh my god: This is utter nonsense. They weren't kidding when they said don't take legal advice from randos on the InterWebs. Most companies outsource their employment contract authoring to an external law firm, then have (internal) senior HR go over your signed copy with a fine-toothed comb to catch exactly these kinds of "tricks". If your company is that stupid to allow it, then you don't worry about the shitty (potentially unenforcable) clauses in your employment contract.
That’s not really a trick. It’s how contract law has worked for years.
Of course, doing it without telling the new employer is a great way to get an offer rescinded.
Also, if you modify it after the other side signed, then you’ll want them to initial the changes.
If you modified it, then they signed without noticing the modifications, then I guess ask a lawyer.
I don’t see what outsourcing has to do with it. If they have power of attorney to an external HR firm, that seems like their problem. (I’ve never encountered a company dumb enough to do that though.)