First contractor i worked for knew they signed a non compete an hired us anyway..we worked for a month before we got whacked with a cease and desist order from lawyers..we had brand new trucks and equipment…our owner literally came an pulled us off the job an made us all go home…i set at the house for like 2 weeks freaked out cause i had never been fired or laid off..had bills to pay..they finally called and rolled us into their sister company so we could work..at a discounted rate of course…and old wore out trucks…and basically no tools. It absolutely sucked..but i was a peon so it didnt matter to them. They fixed it after a little bit…but there for awhile we stayed freaked out and we was all afraid we was fixin to get sent packin without a job or nothin…😐

Very common in the RV industry as are non disclosure agreements, you can beat the No Compete if you handle it right however the non disclosure is a different story

I had a company wanting to hire me bad when I was younger. They sprung the non-compete on me. I laughed at them. Asked them if they'd sign an agreement to always guarantee me the highest salary with the company. They didn't like that at all, but tossed the non-compete in the trash and hired me.

There is no world where I sign away my ability to feed my family. None. Never going to happen.

I was asked to sign one in 1999. I said I would sign it for $25,000.00 and with the stipulation that it would not be binding should the company sell. They agreed and wrote me a check. In 2001, they were bought out. The new company asked me to sign one. This time I ask for a $10,000.00 salary raise and the same stipulation that if the company sold, it was void. They agreed and I signed it. That company sold in 2008. So, I technically received $70k for signing that one. The new company again ask for one. I signed for $15,000.00 + $10k salary raise. Stayed with them until 2017. I left and have been self employed in the same industry but not in competition with them. I am actually a customer.

Wonder if it applies to Gov employees going to private industry ? Probably not...

I signed one when a company bought out our group of urgent care centers. 2 reasons to sign was they required or no job and the doc that owned us was giving bonus to all the providers that stayed based on time with company. I got $10,000. Couple NP’s got $25,000. I didn’t mind signing as in TN they really don’t have any teeth, any undue hardship on the employee would nullify the non compete. We just had 4 providers leave and go to same jobs with competing companies in the past month lol.

Then you probably have never sold a business. Has been pretty standard part of a buyout forever. Usually with a time and radius stipulation. As mentioned above, there may be some negotiation wiggle room but a company spending millions of dollars on a business is protecting themselves by putting in the NC clause. This gives me a lot to think about.