When Noncompetes Oppress People

You know those paint and sip places? The ones where a teacher leads you step-by-step to make a painting while you drink to your delight?

Yeah, I used to teach those classes.

For my initial interview, the two owners handed me a painting and asked me to “teach it” step-by-step. They wanted to see my instruction style, as well as my ability to paint.

I was then called back for a second interview, where I was asked to silently paint a different painting.

Afterward, they told me I was hired. They handed me an independent contractor agreement (I would be paid $17/hr), as well as a noncompete agreement. I happily signed both, and then shared my schedule with them. They told me what classes I would be teaching for the next month.

I knew which paintings I would be teaching in advance, but didn’t entirely know how to make or teach them. For the first six months, I requested to take the painting home with me ahead of the class, along with some of their paint (the type of paint impacts what color combinations and layering is possible). I’d then teach myself how to make the painting at home (I was not paid for that time).

I’d then show up to the class and teach 10–35 participants like I knew exactly what I was doing. I didn’t. I just did my best — and that seemed to be good enough.

My bosses started to give me more and more classes each week. They also asked me to create original paintings, for which I was paid $35.