So far it seems maybe?, but according to the article some courts and agencies are pushing back. Well the FTC was at least in 2023.

California bans anything that is effectively a non compete.

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epolanski a day ago | parent | next [-]

Well since OP's giving that warning he might've been impacted and could tell us more.

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codingdave a day ago | parent | prev | next [-]

I didn't see any references in the article you linked to any cases where it had been enforced. I see a lot of commentary that validates the concern, and a listing of half a dozen states where they are being struck down.

So the callout to be wary of them is totally legit... but it doesn't look like they are going to be enforceable when such things go through the courts.

	▲	throwarayes a day ago \| parent [-]
		Yeah the warning is: you may, like me, find a litigious paranoid former employer who freaks out at everything :-/ I’d rather not carry the cost of learning it’s not enforceable.

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ryandrake a day ago | parent | prev [-]

Technically, maybe, but effectively, nobody is going to be able to withstand BigCorp's 100 lawyers whose mission is to bury you in legal fees if you push back. By the time that you confirm these things are unenforceable, you've spent your life savings on $millions in legal fees, and possibly gone into crippling debt. In the legal system, might (wealth + lawyer quantity) makes right.

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eirikbakke a day ago | parent | next [-]

As I recall from John Akula's Corporate Law class, judges in the US tend to be sympathetic to the following argument:

"Defendant has never worked in any other industry. He has three kids. He's gotta work."

(That's for regular employees--it's a different issue with founders who may have significant equity stake and such.)

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gopher_space 21 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

It sounds like moving to California for a year would be way cheaper.

	▲	ghaff 19 hours ago \| parent [-]
		You'll probably still end up in court even if the plaintiff will likely lose. Maybe cheaper, maybe not.

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cyberax 21 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

The "bury in litigation" is overstated. Since it's the _company_ that is going to sue you, there's a limited amount of shenanigans they can do.

The worst is that they can delay the case for years, leaving you in a legal limbo. Or go after your employer, involving them in the discovery process.