“Prudential’s security guards typically earned hourly wages at or near minimum wage”
Prudential Security paid its guards near minimum wage and made them sign noncompetes with a $100,000 penalty for leaving to work for a rival. About 1,500 former employees were still bound after the company sold off its business. O-I Glass had more than 1,000 workers under noncompetes, and Ardagh over 700. A noncompete on a minimum-wage guard protects no trade secret. It only keeps the wage at minimum.