Lessons about Non-Compete Agreements from HBO's Hacks

Two clips from HBO's hit show

Non-compete agreements are controversial and politically unpopular, at least in the United States. These agreements prevent an employee from competing with the employer (usually by working for a competing firm) for a specific period of time during and/or after employment.

I can see both benefits and costs of these agreements, but most of the public has a more negative view about them than I do. And a hit TV show recently highlighted non-compete agreements in their plot.

HBO’s hit TV show Hacks addressed non-compete agreements towards the end of season 4. In the first clip below , we see how Deborah Vance becomes subject to a non-compete agreement.

In the second clip (from season 4, episode 10), we see Deborah deal with some of the consequences of the non-compete agreement, and her ways to work around it.

For more on non-compete agreements, check out the conversation Jadrian and I had at this link or through your favorite podcast provider.