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non-compete

non-compete

6.0
A contract that stops someone working for a rival company for a set time after leaving a job
  • noun
  • /nɒn kəmˈpiːt/
  • Formal
translation icon : cláusula de no competencia
  • Why might an employer want their employee to sign a non compete clause?

I can't speak to New York law, but I do know in California, because this is where we do business, there's no way that this non compete would be enforced.

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Examples

  • We have new FTC rules that ban non compete agreements.

  • When I sold the business the first time around, I had a non compete clause and I had to knock the windows for two years.

  • I mean, I did a lot of interesting things until my non compete was up and I didn't know I was going to have another beauty company, but I did.

  • One of your biggest wins most recently was banning non compete clauses and employment.

  • Yeah, I mean, I think you probably heard the news last week that the FTC has now banned non competes for for most employees, right?

  • They have been found guilty of intentionally enforcing non compete contracts and non solicitation contracts for their employees, right?

  • OK, let's see what arbitrators going to uphold that non compete when he's given back the money and he's been fired by Fox.

  • Before starting his new job, he had to review the non-compete clause in his contract to ensure he could legally work for a competitor.

  • The lawyer explained that a non-compete agreement would prevent her from joining rival firms after leaving her current position.

  • Many employees are unaware of the limits imposed by a non-compete clause until they decide to change jobs.

How Restrictive

to ban
  • Formal
484 1.4
non-compete
  • Formal
6.0
non-compete
  • Formal
7.3

Surface Forms

non-compete singular
non-competes plural

Morphology

non-compete = compete (semi-transparent) = non + compete

The word is built transparently from 'non' + 'compete', but the noun sense is a specialized legal term for a contract or clause rather than simply 'not competing'.

Etymology

Non-compete comes from non- 'not' and compete 'to try to win', the same root as competition. So a non-compete is a contract that says you will 'not compete' with your old employer for a set time.