Comment by Joel_Mckay

If a person is profitable to have around, than the conversation is simple:

1. Company has money people may want

2. People have unique skills a company needs to profit

3. Everything else is 100% unrelated BS

On average, every software developer brings in >$1.3m USD/year in additional revenue. If you are being exploited, than just find a better gig someplace better... as it is usually easier than advancing out of a critical role.

Salaries with legal encumbrances are usually just a terrible deal in the long-term. =3