The employee non-compete agreement is legal in forty-seven states. It prohibits employees from leaving their company to work for a competing employer within "reasonable" time, location and work scope parameters. Once the concern only of highly-skilled engineering and technical workers, noncompetes are now being imposed on journalists, camp counselors, hairdressers and sandwich deliverymen. Economic research indicating their negative effects on start-ups, wage and economic growth is prompting White House calls for legal reform, actual reform in Hawaii and Utah, and litigation by New York and Illinois attorneys general.

Look in your new employee contract or handbook for an agreement to not compete with your new employer after you leave (or are fired). Take these steps to limit any harm.