New Jersey Employment Law Gives Hearing Over Prospective Enforcement of Non-Compete Agreements
Restrictive Covenants and Non-Compete Agreements
Restrictive covenants are clauses in contracts where the parties agree that one or both of the parties agree to restrict their ability to act in certain ways during or after the term of the contract. There are a variety of restrictive covenants, such as “non-poaching” agreements, were a party agrees not to employ the other party’s employees; non-disclosure agreements, or NDAs, where the parties agree not to disclose the other’s confidential information or trade secrets; and non-solicitation agreements, where one or more of the parties agree not to solicit or do business with the other party’s customers or clients after the expiration of the contract.
In the employment context, the most common restrictive covenant is a non-competition agreement, in which an employee agrees that during or after their employment with the other party, they agree not to compete against it. Restrictive covenants are enforceable under New Jersey employment law, provided they meet certain requirements. The Appellate Division of the Superior Court of New Jersey recently addressed when an employee may challenge the validity of a non-compete agreement in court in the case of Ondik vs. Princeton Eye and Ear, LLC.