Silver_SyzygyApr 11, 2023
Robert Reich

Have you ever been forced to sign a non-compete agreement?

30 millions Americans are currently trapped in their jobs by non-competes, which block them from seeking higher wages and better working conditions.

Banning them could increase wages by nearly $300 billion a year.

Mar 16, 2023 at 8:11pmWeb
Show threadPhil LandmeierMar 16, 2023
@rbreich Sure. Back in the 80s, non-compete agreements were standard procedure.
Show threadSeanMar 16, 2023

@rbreich I wonder what the extent of this is in #Canada. I’d expect that it’s quite similar to the USA.

I’ve been considering taking my former #union and #employer to court over them forcing me to sign such an agreement when they negotiated the elimination of my job whilst I was on medical leave. #NDA #legal #working

Show threadLisPiMar 17, 2023

@seanb @rbreich They're a lot harder to enforce and they're entirely void if they essentially bar you from getting any work when you leave (or require you to move & uproot your life).

I still think they should be banned wholesale, having to argue against the ambiguity in court is an additional cost no-one needs.

Show threadSilversaltyMar 16, 2023
@rbreich
Not non-compete (that I remember) but long long ago I worked as a porter for a large organization. On reading the work agreement I thought it somewhat amusing that anything I created became the property of the company. I mainly mopped floors, etc.
Show threadwauzMar 16, 2023
@rbreich
In Germany, companies have to compensate the loss, when they claim the activation of a non-compete agreement. And they are limited to half a year.
Show threadPhoenix RealeMar 16, 2023

@rbreich Non-competes are RAMPANT in the industry I work in. Was in a job for 7 years because of it. Extremely underpaid. COVID (remote work) was how I was able to get out. ~3 years later, I'm making almost double that job.

The job I started out in was a ~30k/yr field job. Not office or anywhere close to white collar.

Show threadSammyGalenMar 16, 2023
@rbreich Absolutely not! If workers can leave their crappy jobs to seek higher wages, how else with multinational corpsorations be able to make bajillions and bajillions of money for their stock buy back programs? Please think of the bajillionaires who are WORTH (not have) all their money! Geesh! Get a grip?
Show threadTeppo NurminenMar 16, 2023

@rbreich

In Finland, non-compete clauses in job contracts became illegal on 1.1.2023. Employers can still choose to keep the clauses in job contracts, but effectively they would actually lose (financially) in a case where an employee is hired by a competitor.

Show threadSamhain NightMar 16, 2023
@rbreich Yes, but I was under the impression that it wasn't legally binding in CA to sign away your rights?
Show threadC0ppertopMar 17, 2023
@rbreich I’d secretly engage in “civil disobedience”
Show threadJack Yan (甄爵恩)Mar 17, 2023
@rbreich Great idea. Theyʼre unenforceable here, which is great. People need to earn a living.
Show threadTheDickThinkerMar 23, 2023
@rbreich I've had to sign non-compete at jobs where I had to sign out the key to the men's room from the secretary. Surprisingly, I as not in on any corporate secrets.
Show threadSilver_SyzygyApr 11, 2023
@rbreich
All too common in the medical field.