For many Florida companies, contracts and agreements are drawn up to ensure that employees follow certain standards if they are hired by the company. Some employment contracts could include non-compete agreements, which some prospective employees may sign without realizing the full implications. Such agreements could potentially lead to employees being unable to seek new positions in their respective fields for years, or place them in other negative situations that they may not have anticipated.
First of all, a non-compete agreement is one in which a party agrees to not compete with a company for a certain amount of time. Some individuals may sign such an agreement because they have no intention of leaving their current job any time soon. However, unexpected situations could arise, and if an individual does end up leaving a company, they may be unable to work in their field for however long was designated in the agreement.
Many companies may utilize these agreements to help ensure that the ideas of the company will not be given out by former employees. While this could potentially be good practice for the company, the employee may not benefit quite as much. If a person is truly interested in a position with a company that requires a non-compete agreement, that individual may wish to ask questions and learn the specifics of the agreement, such as how long and where it applies.
In many cases, employment agreements can be beneficial for both parties. However, when it comes to non-compete agreements, it is important that employees fully understand the terms of the agreement. Information on how such contracts apply in Florida and tips on how to negotiate a non-compete arrangement could be helpful to concerned employees.
Source: lifehacker.com, "What You Need to Know Before Signing a Noncompete Agreement", Jessica Hullinger, June 18, 2014