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.
How do I get out of a non-compete agreement in Texas? To get out of a non-compete agreement in Texas, you may negotiate with your employer, prove that the terms are unreasonable or unenforceable, or show that it violates legal standards.
While your non-compete would still potentially be enforceable, non-competes typically would only prevent you from working for a competitor. Since you indicate that the company that you are taking a position with is not a competitor, but is a customer, it is unlikely that your non-compete would apply.
Some potential ways to get out of a non-compete agreement in Texas include the following: Negotiate with the employer to modify the terms of the agreement. Challenge the enforceability of the agreement in court. Wait for the agreement to expire. Seek a waiver or exemption from the agreement.
In Texas, a court has the ability to modify – or even nullify – the non-compete if the court determines that it is not reasonable. The courts are given wide latitude to reform a non-compete if the court believes the scope of activity, duration, or geographic area are too restrictive.
While Texas courts generally disfavor non-compete agreements, they will enforce a non-compete covenant if it is executed for valid consideration, contains reasonable geographic, temporal, and activity restrictions, and protects the employer's legitimate business interests.
The simplest way to get out of that kind of contract is merely to ask them to release your from it. If they refuse, you might need to get a lawyer to aid you in doing so. Non-compete contracts usually have penalties specified and certainly have durations. A contract that the courts deem to be unfair can be nullified.
The Test for Reasonableness/Enforceability of a Non-Compete The reasonableness of the time restriction, The reasonableness of the geographical restriction, The degree of protection afforded to the employer, Whether it unnecessarily restricts the employee's ability to pursue his career, and lastly.
Outside of those industries, the major exceptions include (1) existing agreements for “senior executives” (defined below), (2) non-competes entered into in connection with the bona fide sale of a business, and (3) non-competes enforced where the cause of action accrued prior to the rule's effective date.