You are right they are not enforceable in California but they are enforceable in most jurisdictions. California is in the minority. The issue with requiring y

You are right they are not enforceable in California but they are enforceable in most jurisdictions. California is in the minority. The issue with requiring your employer to make it only be for the duration of the employment is many companies don't want you to learn about their customers, and methods and trade secrets and then quit to set up a business in the same area . . . which is reasonable. Non compete clauses are allowed in most jurisdiction so long as they are reasonable as to duration (don't last too long after employment) and reasonable as to distance (only cover a limited geographical area)