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What I've Been Reading This Week


I have always enjoyed non-compete cases, articles, and blog posts.  I wrote an article on the topic a few years ago that the State Bar of Texas recognized as one of the top articles on the topic.  This week, I came across an article about a non-compete agreement that a doggy day care used.  Interesting reading, to say the least.

As always, below are a few articles that caught my eye this week.


A Unique Look at the Use of Background Checks

This is an interesting article which talks about one individual who went through a newly developed background check that can look into an applicant's background to see if there are any red flags (ie armed robbery convictions.  More on that later).  After talking about how his background check did not bring back anything relevant, there is a note on a former Smith and Wesson Holdings chairman who was revealed to been an armed robber with an armed robbery conviction.  Once this information came to light, he resigned.  But it begs the question:  If a background check is done properly (and legally), wouldn't this type of embarrassing situation have been avoided? 



File this news article under "interesting".  Camp Bow Wow is a doggy day care franchise with over 100 locations in the U.S.  Camp Bow Wow boards pets overnight and also offers in home pet sitting.  However, before a Camp Bow Wow employee can begin work, they have to sign non-compete agreements.  The non-compete includes a stipulation that the employee agrees not to work for a competing business within 25 miles of their Camp Bow Wow location for a period of two years following termination.  

I have heard of non-competes in white collar jobs, but a non-compete as to workers at Camp Bow Wow?  Talk about a potentially "ruff" situation. 



This is a good article by Suzanne Lucas that talks about some Walmart stores that are asking employees to donate to needy co-workers this year.  While this is not the first year it has happened (some Walmart stores also did food drives for its workers last year too), it has still generated some negative reactions.  A lot of opponents of the food drives point to the fact that if Walmart paid a decent wage, these type of programs would not be necessary to keep fellow employees from going hungry. 

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