The Enforceability of Non-Compete Agreements in Florida In Florida, non-compete agreements are enforceable under Florida Statute 542.335, provided they are reasonable in terms of time, area, and line of business.
The Final Rule bans almost all non-competes between employers and workers, but does not explicitly ban non-disclosure agreements, customer non-solicitation agreements, or employee non-solicit agreements.
The short answer is yes. Broadly speaking, a non-compete agreement is fully enforceable in the state of Florida as long as it contains the following elements: The Business Interest: Non-competes are only valid if they contain a description of the legitimate business interest they are protecting.
Florida's non-compete statute specifically states that a non-compete “not supported by a legitimate business interest is unlawful and is void and unenforceable.” The meaning of what is a “legitimate business interest” has been the source of a great deal of litigation.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) defines non-compete agreements as clauses in employment contracts that restrict a worker from working for a competing entity, or starting their own competing business, within a certain geographic area and/or period of time after their employment ends.
Are Non-Compete Agreements Enforceable in Florida? At the time of drafting this article, non-compete agreements are enforceable in Florida. The Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) issued a rule in April 2024 providing that beginning on September 4, 2024, non-compete agreements would be unenforceable.
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 FTC Rule was slated to have an effective date of September 4, 2024.
How to Get Around a Non-Compete in Florida Seek Legal Advice from an Attorney. Review the Agreement Carefully. Evaluate the Legitimacy of Employer Interests. Assess the Reasonableness of the Agreement. Negotiate with the Employer. Challenge the Enforceability in Court. Exploring Alternative Career Options.
The Enforceability of Non-Compete Agreements in Florida In Florida, non-compete agreements are enforceable under Florida Statute 542.335, provided they are reasonable in terms of time, area, and line of business.
How to Get Out of a Non-Compete Agreement in Florida Seek legal advice from an attorney. Review the agreement carefully. Evaluate the legitimacy of employer interests. Assess the reasonableness of the agreement. Negotiate with the employer. Challenge the enforceability in court.