What a Typical Non-Complete Agreement Looks Like in New York

Companies often require new employees to sign a non-compete agreement before they ever start working so that when they part ways, the employee can’t move immediately to a competing business. These agreements aren’t typically written in legal jargon, but they can still be tricky to decipher for someone who is worried about whether or not they can begin a new career in the same field without having to move halfway across the country.

A New York non-compete clause will generally involve the following ideas:

• Duration: This is the amount of time that the employee would have to wait before moving to a competing business. 
• Geography: The company will probably define the physical range that its business covers; this is the area in which a former employee cannot move into a competing business.
• Contacts: Former employees won’t be allowed to take their knowledge of clients or customers to a competing business. 
• Services: Employees will not be allowed to provide similar services that they were involved in with their previous employers.
• Advertising: Former employees will not be allowed to advertise for a company that is understood to be a competitor of their previous employer.

While a company may have this well-defined, you’re not necessarily trapped by a non-compete law. If you feel you’re unable to accept a position at a new company because you’re worried it might violate the non-compete clause you’ve signed, talk to a New York non-compete agreement lawyerwho knows where you’re coming from. The Law Offices of Jonathan M. Cooper offers free consultations for people who don’t want to worry about moving on with their lives. For more information, also be sure to order your free copy of 3 Reasons That Your Employment Agreement May Not Be Worth The Paper It's Printed On.