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This seems really shady. It seems to imply it's legal for companies to restrict what you do after you don't work for them anymore? Any historians around? How di

This seems really shady. It seems to imply it's legal for companies to restrict what you do after you don't work for them anymore? Any historians around? How did the US get to a place where employers have near total control of their employees, even after they're no longer paying them? That just sounds bad. I've also heard of contracts that essentially prohibit side projects or moonlighting. Are software developers not aware they don't need to accept these restrictions to make a living? I guess maybe companies impose the restrictions under duress like in this story. Still, I'm surprised companies with such unethical employment practices can manage to hire anyone.

vertex-four 6y ago
Employers having near-total control of their employees was the norm through much of history - capitalism is a development of feudalism. Then unions fought for workers' rights and much was won in much of the world, and workers' rights overall improved ever since in countries where they could organise politically across sectors. An assumption that freedom of companies to do whatever they want leads to better outcomes for society has eroded some of this in more recent years, but all in all we're doing better than a hundred years ago. The US, on the other hand, cracked down on unions and prevented them from gaining political power in the same way that they did across Europe, and the rest is history.
loeg 6y ago
It is shady. But I think you have a rosier view of historical working conditions than is warranted. As far as the US: noncompetes are broadly legal. California is notable as being a state where they are not. There is a history section on wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-compete_clause https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-compete_clause
- kmclean 6y ago
  Yeah you're probably right. It's a bit depressing learning about the way those who actually make a business worth anything get treated, though.
cwzwarich 6y ago
> I've also heard of contracts that essentially prohibit side projects or moonlighting. If your employer is sufficiently broad, the California Labor Code basically prohibits side projects or moonlighting: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=LAB&sectionNum=2870 https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySectio...

vertex-four 6y ago

Employers having near-total control of their employees was the norm through much of history - capitalism is a development of feudalism. Then unions fought for workers' rights and much was won in much of the world, and workers' rights overall improved ever since in countries where they could organise politically across sectors. An assumption that freedom of companies to do whatever they want leads to better outcomes for society has eroded some of this in more recent years, but all in all we're doing better than a hundred years ago. The US, on the other hand, cracked down on unions and prevented them from gaining political power in the same way that they did across Europe, and the rest is history.

loeg 6y ago

It is shady. But I think you have a rosier view of historical working conditions than is warranted. As far as the US: noncompetes are broadly legal. California is notable as being a state where they are not. There is a history section on wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-compete_clause https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-compete_clause

kmclean 6y ago
Yeah you're probably right. It's a bit depressing learning about the way those who actually make a business worth anything get treated, though.

cwzwarich 6y ago

> I've also heard of contracts that essentially prohibit side projects or moonlighting. If your employer is sufficiently broad, the California Labor Code basically prohibits side projects or moonlighting: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=LAB&sectionNum=2870 https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySectio...