Question on non-compete in contract.

[Rbnz]

I am currently working in a small rural clinic/hospital doing family clinic and first assisting in surgery. I signed a new contract about a year ago which has a non-compete clause in it. I have a job offer  in the same town doing occupational for a large corporation seeing only their employees. I would not be in competition with my current employer at all as I would only be seeing people at that site. Do you suspect that this may be a problem? Would this non-compete inhibit me from taking this job?

[mgriffiths]

Most non-competes are completely unenforceable and would not hold up in court - and that's assuming your employer would even take you to court over it.  But, there are some states where non-competes are legal and enforceable.  No way to give feedback without knowing where you lived and what the non-compete actually stated.  But honestly if you are concerned you need to talk to an employment lawyer or at minimum your state's labor department to ask for general information regarding non-competes.

[CAAdmission]

While it might not be unenforceable, if they chose to make life rough for you they could cause you to run up some large legal bills making them go away. Are you leaving on good terms? Tey would probably release you as you aren't realistically going to be taking patients with you.

[quietmedic]

Did the contract mention a distance? Usually it will say 5 to 10 mile radius or some such.... 

[DizzyJ]

Anytime I've had a noncompete in my contract (and can't get it removed) I make them specificy the specialty.  You aren't competing if one job is FP and the other is occ health.