> Employers who ask their employees to sign immoral and usually illegal non-compete clauses deserve whatever they get, honestly. Employers should expect their employees to go work for competitors when they leave.

That's my point as to why employers want to immediately stop access to employees who leave for competitors.

> An ecology management company fires and ecologist and they clutch their pearls when that ecologist goes and works for another ecology management company, instead of McDonalds!?

You can word it that way, but what can and does happen is that employees leave and steal confidential processes or information to boost their own value at a competitor. Many people agree with you, until they start their own company and theft happens to them, draining their work straight to a competitor.