In general, covenants not to compete involve an employee in the state of Louisiana who agrees not to work for competitors of their employer when they leave the company. Such covenants are often called "non-compete" clauses". An employee who signs them either does so as a condition to employment or they can receive compensation for the agreement.

When are Covenants not to Compete Unenforceable?

Knowing in advance whether a judge will enforce an employee's non-compete clause can be difficult. Although the interests of employers are significant, courts in Louisiana also give importance to an employee's freedom to choose the type of employment that they desire. As a result, courts usually uphold only those covenants that are consider to be reasonable according to the circumstances. Covenants not to compete that a court will categorize as unreasonable include agreements that last for a long duration or that restrict the employee to an unreasonable geographic area around Thibodaux.

Non-compete clauses are also limited in that they may only apply to competitors who are rationally related to the industry of the employer. Lastly, an employer is required to have a legitimate business reason in its motivation for imposing a covenant not to compete on an employee.

Do I Need an Attorney when Dealing with a Covenant not to Compete?

Since covenants could restrict your rights, you may wish to hire a Thibodaux, Louisiana lawyer to review any documents. They will be able to negotiate further changes to the covenant, and can draft an entirely new one that is acceptable to all parties if needed. An attorney can also give valuable advice when it comes to suing employees for breaching covenants, or counseling employees who have signed one regarding whether they can accept a different job.