Camp Bow Wow, a dog-sitting chain, makes its workers sign non-compete agreements that bar them from plying any of the “trade secrets” they learn walking dogs at any other animal day care centers for up to two years.

Questions:
1. Do you think that these quasi-feudal non-compete contracts should be illegal for everyone other than senior executives?
2. According to the article, why are more companies using non-compete clauses?
3. Find a recent case where a non-compete clause has been enforced for a worker at a level other than a senior executive. Find a recent case where a non-compete clause has been enforced against a senior executive. Compare and contrast the two cases.
4. What type of “trade secrets” do you think are involved in dog-walking?

Source:
O’Brien, M. (2014) Capitalism is officially broken: Even doggy day care workers have non-competes now. Washington Post, Dec. 2 (Retrievable online at http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/12/02/capitalism-is-officially-broken-even-doggy-day-care-workers-have-non-competes-now/?hpid=z4)