Can My Employer Make Me Sign a Non-Compete Agreement?

A non-compete agreement is a contract between an employee and his or her employer that prohibits the employee from engaging in business activities that compete with the current employer’s business. These agreements can operate in the present (i.e., to prohibit “moonlighting”), or they can begin to run when the employee leaves his or her employment. They are also sometimes called “covenants not to compete” or “restrictive covenants.”