Legal Question in Employment Law in Pennsylvania

Re: pet groomer

Your question is about a non-competition agreement, sometimes called a "non-compete covenant." In Pennsylvania, employers can, as a condition of hiring someone, require that the potential employee agree not to compete with the employer in the future, should their employment end.

A key part is that all such agreements must be reasonable. For example, an employer cannot hold an employee to a contract that says they will never work in that field anywhere in the United States ever again.

From the way you described it, your contract is not reasonable. An employer generally cannot prevent an employee from working in the whole field ever again, and cannot stop them from working in "future areas" that the company might enter.

"What do I do?" depends on what you want to do. Are you try to set up your own shop? Were you just fired?

Either way, you should speak with an attorney. Most attorneys, regardless of their particular specialty, should be able to help you with your situation for a modest hourly or flat fee. Ask your friends and family if they know and trust any local attorneys, and talk with them. If that fails, call your local county bar association for a reference.

You can also contact me if you like, but I'm far outside your geographic area, so could only provide general advice, and not the face-to-face negotiation with your employer that you may end up needing.