My husband works for an automotive engineering company here in Detroit, MI. He had worked for them for 9 years when the company was bought out two years ago, by a firm in CA. The new employer made all existing employees sign a new no-compete and confidentiality agreement that states that employees can not work for a competing company for one year after either leaving or being let go. My husband has just been offered a job with a great company in another state and the position will be working on a product that is NOT in competition with his current job. The problem is the confidentiality agreement. The wording of the agreement is so broad and all encompassing that it pretty much prevents my husband working in engineering for any other company for one full year after he leaves. The wording of the agreement states that any engineering knowledge or experience gained, terminology or information of engineering principles gained through employment with this CA company, which is not public information, is classed as their property. Since my husband has been an engineer for the past 30 years, this is the only industry he has ever worked in. Of course he has gained experience in new areas while working on different products, but how is he supposed to leave experience and knowledge with his current employer and not take it forward with him in his career advancement? Can this agreement hold up in a court of law? This is now being reviewed by the new potential employer and may result in the offer being rescinded. They obviously don't want a law suit. Is there anything we can do to have the wording changed on the confidentiality agreement?