"What I've noticed in the last 12 months is freelances terminating their contracts early.'' Employers are using "golden handcuffs'', he says, to ensure they do not slip off early to another contract.

The lures include signing bonuses; so-called "golden handcuffs," such as bonuses that are not payable until the end of a year or stock options that vest over time; and generous relocation packages.

Dr. Robert Hilker, medical director of Illinois Bell Telephone Company, who himself became a doctor only after several years in business, says people get stymied by the "golden handcuffs" of pension plans and seniority rights.