[vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner css=”%7B%22default%22%3A%7B%22margin-bottom%22%3A%222rem%22%7D%7D”][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]Non-compete agreements became increasingly big news in the US in 2023 and continue in 2024. Many states and the US federal government (including the FTC and NLRB) are taking hostile views against this age-old practice.
Non-compete agreements limit the ability of departing workers to go to a competing company. The agreements vary widely in coverage. Some define competing companies very broadly, and some have a specific list of companies. Some have short time periods, and some can be very long or indefinite. Some define specific roles at competing companies, while some are so broad you could prevent a top scientist from being a floor sweeper or receptionist at a competing company. Even geography varies – some are limited to a local area, while others are national or global.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][us_image image=”766″ align=”center” link=”%7B%22url%22%3A%22%22%7D”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_column_text]Companies have long used non-compete agreements as an indirect way of protecting trade secrets. If an employee could not work for a competitor, they can’t easily disclose trade secrets.
随着非竞争协议受到攻击，并在加利福尼亚州、明尼苏达州、北达科他州和俄克拉荷马州被禁止，公司被迫依靠州和联邦商业秘密法规（如 UTSA 和 DTSA）来保护其宝贵的机密信息。
2024 年，竞业禁止将继续受到侵蚀，或者至少雇主将被迫大幅缩小竞业禁止的范围和期限。
This is a good thing for those of us in the trade secret world![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
