It is common for employers to ask employees to sign a non-compete agreement prior to accepting a position. Essentially, the purpose of a non-compete agreement is to prevent an employee from revealing a company’s ideas, sales leads and other confidential information to competitors over a certain period of time and/or within a certain geographical location.
The idea is that by the time the non-compete agreement expires, the protected information will no longer be relevant to the competitive landscape or industry. In addition, non-compete agreements prevent employers from blatantly “stealing” each other’s employees.
Thus, the question becomes, should you sign a non-compete agreement? If you applied for a position and the employer has requested that you sign a non-compete, you should consult with a lawyer prior to signing. He or she can explain to you that you should ask the following questions about a non-compete before you sign it:
Non-compete agreements seek to primarily protect employers, not employees. Depending on the type of agreement your employer offers you, you may find yourself unable to work in your particular field for a certain period of time.