Well, the first thing you do is do not sign it immediately. You need to really read it carefully to make sure you understand all the terms you’re agreeing to sign. And that really actually goes for anything you sign, but particularly with respect to non-competes, it’s really important that you read the language and in some instances that you consult with a lawyer. So, here are three things you need to look for. The first thing you need to look for is any restrictions on the time that you’re prohibited from engaging in competition with your current employer. So it could be six months, it could be three months, it could be two years. Very important to understand that. The second thing you look at is the geographic scope. Some non-competes may have a five mile radius from where you work. Some may have multiple states. Some might be the United States. So you want to make sure you really understand how far this non-compete restriction goes. And the last thing is you want to make sure you’re looking at the restriction in terms of the industry. What are you actually doing for your employer that you’re competing with?
So that when you apply to a new employer, if you’re doing different functions that don’t really relate to what you did for your current employer, that may be outside of the non-compete. Now, it’s important to know your rights and to know what states um govern with respect to non-competes. Some states, for example, California bans almost all non-competes, whereas other states uphold them as being reasonable if they’re properly constrained in terms of time and geography. So, it’s really important to look at that. The last thing I would say is that you want to negotiate if you can. Some employers give these things out at the beginning of the employment relationship and you’re taking a risk if you negotiate because they may say no, take it or leave it. But if it becomes too ownorous and you’re thinking about your future career plans, it’s really important for you to speak to the employer and seeing if they’re willing to restrict somewhat the time scope as well as the geographic scope so you’re not prohibited from seeking other jobs later if it turns out that your relationship with your current employer doesn’t work out. So narrowing the scope is really important. If you have any further questions, I would encourage you to reach out to Eric Steel Law. We’re happy to answer it for them.