Legal Question in Employment Law in Tennessee
Must you keep signing non-competes?
My employer, about every year or two, either because they cannot keep track of the document or because they have reworded it (as is the case this time), wants all employees to sign a new non-compete agreement. This new one is worded totally different with other things added in that were not in the original agreement. We have been told that if you do not want to sign it, don't come back to work.
Can we be forced to constantly resign, to resign different versions, and can our jobs be threatened?
Also, are non-competes usually for a period after you LEAVE the job, or for a period after you TAKE the job?
thanks for the help,
Nelson
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: Must you keep signing non-competes?
Yes, an employer can require you to sign a non-compete as a condition of your employment. Yes, it covers the time AFTER you leave your job. They can do it every year if they want to. The non-compete must be reasonable in time and scope however. Whether the agreement is enforceable is another question.