NON-COMPETES AND DUNDER-MIFFLIN

I am addicted to watching Michael Scott run the paper products company, Dunder-Mifflin, in the CBS show, Office.

If you missed the most recent show, Michael Scott has been "let go" from his job at Dunder-Mifflin and has plans to start the Michael Scott Paper Company. My misgivings as to whether Michael can actually run a profitable business aside, I wonder why Dunder-Mifflin failed to require Michael to sign a non-compete agreement? Also, Michael's attempt to get other Dunder-Mifflin employees (Jim and Pam) to join his new business might have been stopped had Michael signed a non-solicitation agreement.

My Take: I don't know the law in Pennsylvania (Dunder-Mifflin is located in Scranton), but if it is similar to the law in Virginia, the bosses at Dunder-Mifflin probably realized overly restrictive non-competes and non-solicitation agreements are unenforceable.