If you signed a non-compete, here are some things to consider before you leave:
Get a copy of your non-compete contract. Make sure you have a copy of your contract. Hopefully, you kept a copy when you signed it. But if you lost your copy, or never got one, you have to be careful. You could ask your boss, but it will . . .
Have you been asked to sign a non-compete contract at work?
If you are a Virginia employee, then you should be aware of your rights in the workplace before signing. Here is a summary of what you need to know about Virginia non-compete contracts – before you sign.
Tip #1 – You have a right not to sign. There is no Virginia law that requires you to sign . . .
In Farm Veterinary Servs. v. Novak, 61 Va. Cir. 584 (2001), a group of veterinarians had a non-compete contract with their employer.
The veterinarians resigned and began competing with their former employer. The employer sued or breach of contract. This was not an issue where the employee had a counter-claim – such as for work injury, needing a workers compensation lawyer in Roanoke. Rather, . . .
Imagine working for a large, national company. You are based in Richmond. The company has offices in Chicago, Dallas, and Los Angeles. You resign to join a competitor in Orange County.
Not a problem, right? After all, you are moving nearly 2,000 miles away for your new job.
It might be a problem if, like many employees, your non-compete says, “Employee will not perform competitive services . . .
Many non-solicitation contracts will state, “Employee will not, directly or indirectly, solicit competitive services from the customers of Employer for a period of two (2) years.”
Read literally: the employee cannot solicit former clients anywhere throughout the world.
Is a worldwide ban on solicitation enforceable?
. . .
When an employee breaches an valid non-compete contract, the employer is entitled to damages and other relief.
Employers have several options: preliminary injunction, permanent injunction, lost profits, liquidated damages, and attorneys’ fees.
Here is a summary of the damages that an employer is allowed to recover under Virginia law in non-compete cases.
. . .