Golden Handcuffs
Compensation structured so leaving costs too much — unvested equity, retention bonuses, cliff dates. Comfortable, well-paid, and locked: the handcuffs are real; they're just very nice.
Heard in the wild
“He hates it there, but the unvested shares are golden handcuffs until March.”
Tone check: Professional
Know your vesting dates cold. Career decisions have windows, and comp teams designed them on purpose.