My issue with non-competes is that the vast majority of people who sign them don't understand what they are signing, nor do they negotiate the terms. They feel

My issue with non-competes is that the vast majority of people who sign them don't understand what they are signing, nor do they negotiate the terms. They feel that they are in a weak position; it's the first day of a job and if they don't sign they'll be unemployed. What's worse is that you are generally presented with a stack of paperwork to sign and told it's just a formality. There's also the misunderstanding that everything you sign is binding, it's not uncommon in CA for employees to sign what looks like a non-compete, and then believe that it is enforceable. Very few people have a lawyer, or can afford to pay a lawyer to review these agreements. Even fewer are brave enough not to sign them then and there. I've seen some very egregious language before, one of my favorites was one that restricted the employee from working for any past, present, or future (defined as one year) customers of the employer--and their future employers from the same! I've got no idea how this was supposed to be enforced, but it caused the signee to be in fear of being sued.