Many years ago, I knew of a case where two dentists worked together. One day, one of the dentists' decided that he would work on his own so before he left, he rifled through the other dentists files so he can get the phone number of the clients and photocopy them. When the dentist opened his own office, he sent post cards to all those clients.
Of course, the other dentist found out and asked why he would do such a thing. The other dentist replied that they’re my clients and I have a right to do that. As a result, there was a lawsuit.
Like it or not, stealing is stealing. This is probably the major reason that people like me live with non-compete agreements. Agreements that state that I can be fired at any time for any reason and I can’t work in the industry for two years.
A recent case bears this out even more. An employee of Superior Hospitality Systems, Inc. violated his three year non-compete agreement by stealing the following items: an iPad 3, three computer hard drives, a briefcase, a tool set and Superior Hospitality Systems, Inc. contracts and proposals without their consent.
Like it or not, people like me pay for the actions of someone else or in this case, the person who stole these items, the employee who should go to jail for doing this. Employers feel justified when they force their employees to sign these non-compete agreements because we will probably steal from them. That no one should be trusted. Or better yet, even if we leave, there may be an impact if we solicit their clients. There is no guarantee that an employee may have an impact on their former employer as a result of this.
One more example. I had a conversation with a hairdresser. We’ll say her name is Mary. She told me that she knew another hairdresser who went through their employers appointment book to get phone numbers of all the clients. Once she had them, she solicited them and took some of her clients away once she opened her own salon.
Again, the result for these actions is a non-compete agreement that states in many cases that the hairdresser can be fired at any time for any reason and can’t work within 50 miles of their employer. All because they steal information
Mary also told that there are so many people who would never do this. In her case, she works in a salon where there is a 70% walk in rate of new customers. 70%. She said that there are many places like that.
Mary, along with the other hairdressers have to follow one rule. They are not allowed to call the customers on the phone for any reason. Someone at the salon should do it for them. Isn’t that a more reasonable solution instead of a non-compete agreement?
Yes, there are a percentage of people who take advantage of the system and steal. But what about the employees who would never think of doing that. What about the employees who have to work in a career of indentured servitude due to their non-compete agreement?
Stealing has it’s price. It doesn’t matter if you get caught or not. It doesn’t matter if you felt that you would have a leg up in your career. Because when you steal from your employer, you hurt all your colleagues and people in other companies by doing this. You’re the reason that we are forced to sign non-compete agreements.
So maybe this is for the people who are thinking of stealing information from their employer. Would you do it now if you knew that you would justify non-compete agreements?
Rick Holman
http://louisianarecord.com/news/248302-former-employees-of-janitorial-service-sued-for-allegedly-violating-non-compete-clause
Of course, the other dentist found out and asked why he would do such a thing. The other dentist replied that they’re my clients and I have a right to do that. As a result, there was a lawsuit.
Like it or not, stealing is stealing. This is probably the major reason that people like me live with non-compete agreements. Agreements that state that I can be fired at any time for any reason and I can’t work in the industry for two years.
A recent case bears this out even more. An employee of Superior Hospitality Systems, Inc. violated his three year non-compete agreement by stealing the following items: an iPad 3, three computer hard drives, a briefcase, a tool set and Superior Hospitality Systems, Inc. contracts and proposals without their consent.
Like it or not, people like me pay for the actions of someone else or in this case, the person who stole these items, the employee who should go to jail for doing this. Employers feel justified when they force their employees to sign these non-compete agreements because we will probably steal from them. That no one should be trusted. Or better yet, even if we leave, there may be an impact if we solicit their clients. There is no guarantee that an employee may have an impact on their former employer as a result of this.
One more example. I had a conversation with a hairdresser. We’ll say her name is Mary. She told me that she knew another hairdresser who went through their employers appointment book to get phone numbers of all the clients. Once she had them, she solicited them and took some of her clients away once she opened her own salon.
Again, the result for these actions is a non-compete agreement that states in many cases that the hairdresser can be fired at any time for any reason and can’t work within 50 miles of their employer. All because they steal information
Mary also told that there are so many people who would never do this. In her case, she works in a salon where there is a 70% walk in rate of new customers. 70%. She said that there are many places like that.
Mary, along with the other hairdressers have to follow one rule. They are not allowed to call the customers on the phone for any reason. Someone at the salon should do it for them. Isn’t that a more reasonable solution instead of a non-compete agreement?
Yes, there are a percentage of people who take advantage of the system and steal. But what about the employees who would never think of doing that. What about the employees who have to work in a career of indentured servitude due to their non-compete agreement?
Stealing has it’s price. It doesn’t matter if you get caught or not. It doesn’t matter if you felt that you would have a leg up in your career. Because when you steal from your employer, you hurt all your colleagues and people in other companies by doing this. You’re the reason that we are forced to sign non-compete agreements.
So maybe this is for the people who are thinking of stealing information from their employer. Would you do it now if you knew that you would justify non-compete agreements?
Rick Holman
http://louisianarecord.com/news/248302-former-employees-of-janitorial-service-sued-for-allegedly-violating-non-compete-clause