> We still to this day struggle to hire qualified engineers. Yes, that's right. Qualified engineers won't sign non-competes. That is why the business ended up

> We still to this day struggle to hire qualified engineers. Yes, that's right. Qualified engineers won't sign non-competes. That is why the business ended up with you instead. But that only goes so far. When nobody will sign non-competes, then businesses have no choice but to abandon the idea, and then they can go after the qualified engineers, which leaves you on the outs. You are accepting of it because you know it is your way in to a job you otherwise wouldn't be selected for – like you said, they have no interest in employing you otherwise. They are accepting of it because it reduces the risk as an employer, even if that means getting the dregs. It is a mutually beneficial arrangement. > Tell me how your arguments don't apply to company towns I guess it might apply to company towns if you hate your neighbours just as much as you hate other workers in your current environment. Although in that case you may be doing them a favour by pushing them out of town. In this case you are clearly acting with malicious intent – selling your soul, so to speak, just to ensure that the worker more deserving and a better fit but who is unwilling to give up themself in the quest for profit is kept out of the job.