I have accepted a job for a rival company? Where to I stand legally?

[Kemik]

Wow, there's a lot of people on here giving bad advice.

Restrictive covenants are enforceable providing they are not wider than necessary, are reasonable in time and area, the employee is an appropriate target and they're protecting legitimate business interests. However, an employee must be allowed to earn a living.

You'll probably only find they'll enforce the clause if you're a higher up and may take clients with you. I'd only start getting worried if a client switches from them to the company you work for.

 

[Showboat]

I don't see how this is enforcable, it's not like you are the director of the company who could go and steal the customer base or do serious damage by going to a competitor.

When you took the job you were essentially signing up for life or until you were prepared to seek a new career or move to a new area, how could this stand up in court!?

 

[Kemik]

I don't see how this is enforcable, it's not like you are the director of the company who could go and steal the customer base or do serious damage by going to a competitor.

When you took the job you were essentially signing up for life or until you were prepared to seek a new career or move to a new area, how could this stand up in court!?

If you done a lot of good work for a client and they notice you've moved then they'll move too. That's why these things stand up.

 

[Mucky_Pup]

I havent got anything like this in my contract, the closest thing to this for me, would be the forms I had to sign to get the money to go pay for my college/uni courses, which state if I leave after a year of completing the courses, I pay back x amount, then 2 years x amount, etc. until finally I don't have to pay back anything.