How Do Noncompete Clauses Work?

An employee stands at the desk of another employee while they look at a tablet together.

“My family operates an upscale Italian restaurant, and our employees are paid much more hourly than comparable establishments. We hire college grads, dedicate a great deal of time to training by certified hospitality educators, who cover everything from understanding the menu, to proper grooming, how to conduct yourself as a professional server and related skills.

“All restaurant owners face the same problem: hiring, training, and then the employee jumps ship for a similar restaurant, often for as little as a dollar more an hour. I have never used an actual signed employment contract, but wonder if I can have a noncompete clause, limiting an employee from working in a similar type of a restaurant within, say, 50 miles? Thanks, ‘Luigi.’”