When people think of noncompete agreements, they usually think of corporate executives with knowledge of prized trade secrets, whose lavish pay packages often come with a condition that if they quit or get fired, they can't go work for an industry rival.
More and more, though, employers are requiring regular workers to sign those deals. About 1 in 5 American workers, nearly 30 million people, are bound by noncompete agreements, according to the Federal Trade Commission.
