> Ask for your a copy of your contract before you decide

Hmmm, usually when I change jobs it goes like this: apply for job -> receive offer letter -> make decision -> sign offer letter -> give notice -> wait out last two weeks -> sign a bunch more stuff on the first day of the job or during the last two weeks, usually including what I think of as the contract. I could be wrong, I'm trying to be more conscious of these things.

It seems like in this scenario, you might get hit with this info after you've turned in your notice with your current job. Did they really let you see everything you needed to sign before you turned in your notice? Is that a normal request?