This law states that a non-compete agreement may be enforced if it is part of “a reasonable severance agreement mutually and freely agreed upon at or after the time of termination.” The non-compete agreement must also meet the common law requirements imposed by Utah courts in order to be enforceable.
On April 23, 2024, the FTC passed a final rule to ban most non-compete clauses in employment agreements, finding such agreements to be unfair methods of competition (the “FTC Rule”).
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.
In addition to a legitimate business interest, many states have requirements for the types of restrictions a non-compete may impose on a person. For instance, in Utah, a non-compete may not restrict an employee from working for a new employer for a period of more than one year.
Non-Competitive Activity at New Employer: One of the most straightforward ways to overcome a noncompete is by ensuring that your new role with a different employer is in a non-competitive capacity. If you're not engaging in activities that directly compete with your former employer's business, you may be in the clear.
If an employee breaks or violates the terms of a legally enforceable non-compete agreement, the employer may file a lawsuit against the employee and ask a court for an injunction to stop the employee's allegedly improper activity.
In Georgia, a non-compete agreement may be declared unenforceable or invalid for a number of reasons, including: An unreasonable time period (under the newest version of Georgia's non-compete law, restraints lasting more than 2 years are presumed unreasonable) An unreasonable restriction on geographic territory.