Non-compete agreements cannot be used if an employee earns less than $75,000 per year. (Note: this salary baseline increases in 2027 and in 5 year periods after that.) Non-solicitation agreements cannot be used if the employee earns less than $45,000 per year.
For employees who are not low-wage employees, under Illinois common law, non-competes are enforceable if the employer terminated employment in good faith and with good cause (Rao v. Rao, 718 F.
The following are the most common ways to get out of a non-compete agreement: Determine that the terms of the contract do not in fact prevent you from a desired course of action. Recognize when a non-compete contradicts the law. Negotiate a release agreement with the involved parties. Ignore the agreement.
Illinois courts generally disfavor non-competes as a restraint of trade. However, Illinois courts enforce non-compete agreements if they are: Reasonable. Supported by adequate consideration.
Covenant Not to Compete. You agree that at no time during the term of your employment with the Company will you engage in any business activity which is competitive with the Company nor work for any company which competes with the Company.
The employer's breach of the parties' employment relationship or unclean hands can serve as a defense to defeat a covenant not to compete or non-solicitation clause signed by the employee, even if that agreement is otherwise properly narrowly drafted and enforceable.
Illinois prohibits non-compete agreements between an employer and low-wage employees, including non-competes that restrict a low- wage employee from performing work in a specified geographical area, and work for another employer that is similar to the employee's work for the employer that is party to the agreement (see ...
Illinois courts generally disfavor non-competes as a restraint of trade. However, Illinois courts enforce non-compete agreements if they are: Reasonable. Supported by adequate consideration.