15 years at the same company honing my skills in a trade. Wanted to get licensed in my state, for the 1% raise my work offered, since they had tuition assistance. Got zero help from management, I ended up arranging it all, and I got my license. Then management hands me this non compete if I want reimbursed. Keep in mind I’m very blue collar, so this is pretty extreme. After I read the part about being limited a year after employment that I can’t perform any of my duties necessary to make a living, I decided to eat the cost. I’m out over $1000. But hey, my resume now says Licensed so that’s something. But the idea that companies hand out papers like these, so they could legally chase someone down and force them out of their work field for a whole year, effectively starving them or sending them into homelessness… well, that’s sickening.
Papers edited to not display company name or identifying information. I still work there.