Second, a Texas non-competition agreement must contain a reasonable time limitation. A noncompete cannot last forever – this would be an unreasonable restraint on trade. Instead, your agreement needs to state how long it will last. The law doesn't say what would be a reasonable time limitation.
Yes. Texas is a very pro-employer state, and employers can legally propose non-compete agreements to employees. However, that doesn't mean that there aren't any limitations—there are. Only four states have completely banned non-competes altogether: California, Oklahoma, Minnesota, and North Dakota.
Unlike some states that ban them entirely, Texas allows physician non-compete agreements, but they must meet specific requirements to be enforceable.
Federal judge tosses U.S. ban on noncompetes A federal judge in Texas has struck down the government's ban on noncompetes. An estimated 30 million U.S. workers are subject to the employment agreements.
Texas law has no specific time limit for non-compete agreements, but courts have generally found that agreements lasting more than two years are presumptively unreasonable. However, the reasonableness of the duration of a non-compete agreement in texas will depend on the specific circumstances of the case.
Certain professional occupations, like attorneys or physicians, may be excluded from non-compete agreements or placed under more limited restrictions, even though they are highly-specialized positions.
Other states may vary in the specifics of distance and time restrictions. And some states—including California, New Hampshire and Minnesota—have outlawed noncompete clauses in part or entirely. Get expert help from the AMA to understand physician employment contracts.
Does a Non-Compete Agreement Apply in a Lay-off or Termination? In Texas, there is no requirement that the employee must leave on their own terms to preserve the enforceability of the non-compete agreement. In other words, a non-compete agreement remains in force whether the employee quit, was fired, or laid off.
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.
The Texas Medical Board (“TMB”) has recognized that the CPOM doctrine does not prohibit a physician from having an independent contractor agreement with non-physicians as long as it stays within the confines of the doctrine.