Competition Noncompetition For 2023 In Minnesota
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Employers who enter into or attempt to enforce noncompetes are liable for damages and a penalty of up to $5,000 per employee. A partner must own more than 10 percent of a business to qualify for the sale of a business exemption to California's noncompete ban.
In Minnesota, the new law prohibits enforcement of non-competes entered into after July 1, 2023, but leaves existing agreements in place for the nearly 300,000 Minnesotans we estimate had a non-compete before the law passed.
April 24, 2024 Update Under the new rule, and subject to a few narrow exceptions, companies are banned from entering into new noncompete agreements and enforcing noncompete agreements currently in effect with all workers.
In Minnesota, non-solicitation agreements are considered restrictive covenants and a restraint on trade and are cautiously considered, and carefully scrutinized, but are enforceable.
Now that the FTC is permanently enjoined from enforcing the rule, (unless and until a successful FTC appeal), non-competes return to the status quo and are legal and enforceable on the same terms as they were before the FTC passed the non-compete rule.
The case is noteworthy because the Supreme Court has now decisively shut the legal door on non-competition agreements that do not fit within specific statutory exceptions. The federal courts interpreting California law had permitted some non-compete agreements under a narrow-restraint exception.
Reasonableness: Non-compete agreements must be reasonable in terms of their scope and duration. This means that the restrictions must be no broader than necessary to protect the legitimate business interests of the employer, such as protecting trade secrets, confidential information, and/or customer relationships.
Example 1: Noncompete agreement. Nondisclosure and Noncompetition. (a) At all times while this agreement is in force and after its expiration or termination, employee name agrees to refrain from disclosing company name's customer lists, trade secrets, or other confidential material.
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.
In Minnesota, the new law prohibits enforcement of non-competes entered into after July 1, 2023, but leaves existing agreements in place for the nearly 300,000 Minnesotans we estimate had a non-compete before the law passed.
