[astrange]

> Sometimes the contracts can include a cool-down period before a person can seek employment in the same industry/niche, I don’t think that will apply in Sam’s case - as he was a founder.

It's very difficult to enforce anything like this in California. They can pay him to not work, but can't just require it.

[Paul-Craft]

It's actually easier to enforce a noncompete in California on a founder or principal of a firm than it is on an employee. I don't recall the exact, legal specifics, but it has something to do with the fact that those people are in some way attached to the "goodwill" of the original business, which is something of value that the company can protect.

Someone else can probably say it better than I can, but that's how I understand it at this moment.