4 ms·

So this situation happened to me in 1996 in Texas a right to work state. 1.) My boss came and asked me to sign a non-compete after learning that I ran a simila

So this situation happened to me in 1996 in Texas a right to work state. 1.) My boss came and asked me to sign a non-compete after learning that I ran a similar business in another city after 3 years of working for him. 2.) I was not competing as none of my customers were his customers. My business in Houston. His in a small town 60 miles away. 3.) I went to a lawyer and asked if I had to sign and if this non-compete (said I couldn't work on any computer in Texas within two years of termination) would apply. Lawyer said it was ridiculous and while it wouldn't hold up in court he had the right to lay me off for not signing it. 4.) I refused to sign on principle and was laid off. I went to draw unemployment and he fought it. I was granted unemployment but, quickly found a newer higher paying job anyway.

dsmithatx 11y ago
Basically what my lawyer told me was that... 1.) He could lay me off for not signing. 2.) If he ever tried to sue me over it that anything it said was pretty much worthless. As a full time employee I had 3 years of history working there. The lawyer specifically told me nothing I signed would apply to me. He also stated unless I was black or female I had no lawsuit to keep my job. Not sure if this case states the document would ever hold up in court but, at least in my case, I was told there was no chance. This might be different for a contractor.
hwstar 11y ago
Texas may be "Right to Work" but right to work has nothing to do with this. It has everything to do with the doctrine of "Employment-At-Will" of which 49 states follow. (Montana, I thank you for not following the employment at will doctrine) I can't believe that there are so many people out there which get the two terms confused. Maybe we need to teach public high school students basic employment law in their civics classes.
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dsmithatx 11y ago

Basically what my lawyer told me was that... 1.) He could lay me off for not signing. 2.) If he ever tried to sue me over it that anything it said was pretty much worthless. As a full time employee I had 3 years of history working there. The lawyer specifically told me nothing I signed would apply to me. He also stated unless I was black or female I had no lawsuit to keep my job. Not sure if this case states the document would ever hold up in court but, at least in my case, I was told there was no chance. This might be different for a contractor.

hwstar 11y ago

Texas may be "Right to Work" but right to work has nothing to do with this. It has everything to do with the doctrine of "Employment-At-Will" of which 49 states follow. (Montana, I thank you for not following the employment at will doctrine) I can't believe that there are so many people out there which get the two terms confused. Maybe we need to teach public high school students basic employment law in their civics classes.

deleted 11y ago
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