01-05-2023, 04:02 PM
Non-competes should be illegal almost anywhere with possible exceptions as above, as they are blatantly anti-competetive by definition. Given consolidation of employers, potential employees may have little recourse but to accept them.
Take medicine for example. Entire cities are dominated by a few hospital system/employers. If you want to be a doctor in Pittsburgh, there's a good chance you will need to work for UPMC, which means accepting their non-compete, which precludes you from working in the city if you leave that job for any reason. Given the footprint of the system, depending on state law that can preclude you from working in massive areas. And even if it is unenforcable, to go to court to fight it will cost you tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Take medicine for example. Entire cities are dominated by a few hospital system/employers. If you want to be a doctor in Pittsburgh, there's a good chance you will need to work for UPMC, which means accepting their non-compete, which precludes you from working in the city if you leave that job for any reason. Given the footprint of the system, depending on state law that can preclude you from working in massive areas. And even if it is unenforcable, to go to court to fight it will cost you tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars.