In the workplace, non-compete agreements are used by Manhattan employers to prevent employees from taking company secrets to a competitor. Many employers understandably want to keep their trade secrets confidential and don’t want employees to be lured away by competitors wanting to get access to trade secrets. Still, many people think that non-compete agreements are being overused in the workplace.
A few weeks ago, we told you about efforts under way in many jurisdictions to restrict the use of non-compete agreements in the workplace. Non-compete agreements are fairly commonplace even among jobs that earn less than $15 per hour. Researchers determined that over 15 percent of low-wage workers are required to sign a non-compete agreement as a condition of employment. Many lawmaker say that these are unnecessary and unfair, as these workers probably do not have access to sensitive trade secrets.
Non-compete agreements can be a contentious area of employment law, with employers seeking to make and enforce these agreements, and employees often seeking to enjoy the freedom to accept employment without having a non-compete agreement applying. Arthur R. Lehman, LLC provides legal representation to both employers and employees in the area of non-compete agreements. We help our clients – both employers and employees – with negotiating these agreements. We also advise employees on the applicability of an agreement to potential future employment opportunities. We also help employers who want to hire an employee with a non-compete agreement with another employer, as well as employers with employees who may be violating a valid non-compete agreement.
We are easy to reach by telephone and email, and we are delighted to discuss legal matters with potential clients. Our website’s employment law page has more information on the services we provide.