Massachusetts Noncompete Agreement: What's Included and Enforceability
Quick Facts — Noncompete Agreement Lawyers (Massachusetts)
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Is a Non-Compete Agreement Enforceable in Massachusetts?
Yes. Non-compete agreements are enforceable in Massachusetts; however, the agreement must meet several strict requirements. A new law governing non-compete agreements, called the Massachusetts Non-Compete Agreement Act was enacted in 2018 that provided additional protections to workers and increased restrictions on occupations and employee status.
For a non-compete agreement to be enforceable in Massachusetts, it must meet the following requirements:
- Legitimate purpose. The agreement must be used to protect and employer’s legitimate business interests which can include trade secrets, confidential information, or goodwill.
- Specific scope. A non-compete agreement can only restrict employees from specific activities that the employee participated in while employed.
- Geographic area. The geographic boundaries of the non-compete must be reasonable and cannot extend further than where the employee provided services during the past two years of employment.
- Right to counsel. The agreement must include in writing that the employee has the right to consult legal counsel before signing.
- 10-day rule. A non-compete agreement must be signed within 10 business days of beginning employment.
In addition to these requirements, the new non-compete Act also requires that employers pay employees 50% of their annual salary during the non-compete period. This is called a garden leave clause.
How Long Does a Massachusetts Non-Compete Agreement Last?
The maximum duration for a Massachusetts non-compete agreement is set by state statutes and is 12 months. The only exception to this law is if the employee has unlawfully taken property from the employer. In this case, the agreement can last up to two years.
Is the New Massachusetts Non-Compete Law Retroactive?
No. The Massachusetts Non-Compete Agreement Act is not retroactive and will not effect agreements that were signed prior to 2018.
Any agreements signed after the Act was passed will be subject to these new changes in law:
- Non-competes cannot be enforced when a worker is laid off or terminated without cause.
- Implementation of the garden leave clause
- Required notice to the employee before the agreement is signed.
- Requiring that the business interests protected by the agreement are specifically named.
How Do You Get Around a Non-Compete Agreement in Massachusetts?
In Massachusetts, non-compete agreements are often interpreted in favor of the employee because courts do not want to deprive a person the right to earn a living and support themselves. For this reason, there are several ways that an employee can get around or terminate a non-compete agreement.
- Contractual defenses. A non-compete agreement is a contract and must adhere to all laws that govern contracts. Contracts must contain an offer, acceptance, and consideration. In addition, contracts must be signed voluntarily and be free from fraud and mistakes. Any defenses that are available for contract enforcement also apply to non-compete agreements.
- Consideration. Non-compete agreements must include consideration. In Massachusetts, continued employment does not constitute adequate consideration for a non-compete. Courts require a material change in the employee’s compensation or position to meet the requirement of consideration.
- Blue penciling. Massachusetts allows the practice of blue penciling. This means a court can edit or modify an overly broad or unreasonable non-compete to make it enforceable. While this does not allow an employee to get out of a non-compete, it will allow a court to change the terms to be more in favor of the employee’s interests.
What Voids a Massachusetts Non-Compete Agreement?
A non-compete agreement in Massachusetts is void if it does not meet the procedural requirements to be a valid contract. These requirements include:
- The non-compete agreement must be in writing.
- It must be signed by the employer and the employee.
- The agreement must expressly state that the employee has the right to consult with an attorney before signing the contract.
If the non-compete is missing any of these elements, it will be void.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Meet some of our Massachusetts Noncompete Agreement Lawyers
Keidi C.
Keidi S. Carrington brings a wealth of legal knowledge and business experience in the financial services area with a particular focus on investment management. She is a former securities examiner at the United States Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) and Associate Counsel at State Street Bank & Trust and has consulted for various investment houses and private investment entities. Her work has included developing a mutual fund that invested in equity securities of listed real estate investment trusts (REITs) and other listed real estate companies; establishing private equity and hedge funds that help clients raise capital by preparing offering materials, negotiating with prospective investors, preparing partnership and LLC operating agreements and advising on and documenting management arrangements; advising on the establishment of Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs/Token Offerings) and counseling SEC registered and state investment advisers regarding organizational structure and compliance. Ms. Carrington is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University with a B.A. in International Relations. She earned her Juris Doctorate from New England Law | Boston and her LL.M. in Banking and Financial Law from Boston University School of Law. She is admitted to practice in Massachusetts and New York. Currently, her practice focuses on assisting investors, start-ups, small and mid-size businesses with their legal needs in the areas of corporate and securities law.
"Keidi was excellent; quick turnaround even during the Holidays. Thank you."
Ralph S.
Ralph graduated from University of Florida with his JD as well as an LLM in Comparative Law. He has a Master's in Law from Warsaw University , Poland (summa cum laude) and holds a diploma in English and European Law from Cambridge Board of Continuous Education. Ralph concentrates on business entity formation, both for profit and non profit and was trained in legal drafting. In his practice he primarily assists small to medium sized startups and writes tailor made contracts as he runs one of Florida disability non profits at the same time. T l Licensed. in Florida Massachusetts and Washington DC this attorney speaks Polish.
"I had an excellent experience working with Ralph on my prenuptial agreement. From the beginning, Ralph was professional, knowledgeable, and incredibly patient. He took the time to explain the legal concepts, options, and implications in a way that was clear and easy to understand. He never made me feel rushed and was always willing to answer my questions thoroughly. What I appreciated most was his ability to make a potentially stressful process feel comfortable and straightforward. Ralph completed the agreement much faster than I expected, while still being extremely thorough and attentive to detail. I am extremely happy with his work and would not hesitate to recommend Ralph to anyone needing assistance with contracts or other legal agreements. His professionalism, responsiveness, and genuine willingness to help made all the difference. Thank you, Ralph, for making this process such a positive experience."
Moss S.
Over 30 years of experience practicing commercial real estate and complex business litigation law.
"Moss S was responsive and attentive to my needs and completed the task ahead of time and within budget"
Elizabeth W.
Liz is an experienced insurance professional, having worked with carriers and brokers for over 10 years. She can review or draft a variety of commercial agreements and is here to help your business. Specialties include: Master Service Agreements, business process outsourcing, marketing and partnership agreements, broker agreements, business associate agreements, and NDAs.
"Liz was very responsive, eager to do a good job, and a pleasure to work with."
Patrick N.
Before attending law school, I had a prior career in business performance reporting. This experience differentiates me from other attorneys. I can readily read, interpret, and synthesize financial reporting. I also have a passion for legal research and writing.
Karl D. S.
Karl D. Shehu, has a multidisciplinary practice encompassing small business law, estate and legacy planning, real estate law, and litigation. Attorney Shehu has assisted families, physicians, professionals, and people of faith provide for their loved ones by crafting individualized estate and legacy plans. Protecting families and safeguarding families is his passion. Attorney Shehu routinely represents lenders, buyers, sellers, and businesses in real estate transactions, researching and resolving title defects, escrowing funds, and drafting lending documents. To date, Attorney Shehu has closed a real estate deal in every town in Connecticut. As a litigator, Attorney Shehu has proven willing to engage in contentious court battles to obtain results for his clients. While practicing at DLA Piper, LLP, in Boston, Attorney Shehu represented the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies in multidistrict litigations filed throughout the United States. He has been a passionate advocate for immigrants and the seriously injured, frequently advising against lowball settlement offers. He is willing to try every case to verdict, and he meticulously prepares every case for trial. Attorney Shehu began his legal career as a consumer lawyer, utilizing fee-shifting statutes to force unscrupulous businesses to pay the legal fees of aggrieved consumers. For example, in Access Therapies v. Mendoza, 1:13-cv-01317 (S.D. Ind. 2014), Attorney Shehu utilized unique interpretations of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, Truth-in-Lending Act, and Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) to obtain a favorable result for his immigrant client. Attorney Shehu is a Waterbury, Connecticut native. He attended Our Lady of Mount Carmel grammar school, The Loomis Chaffee School, and Chase Collegiate School before earning degrees from Boston College, the University of Oxford’s Said Business School in England, and Pepperdine University School of Law. At Oxford, Karl was voted president of his class. Outside of his law practice, Attorney Shehu has worked to improve the world around him by participating in numerous charitable endeavors. He is a former candidate for the Connecticut Senate and a parishioner of St. Patrick Parish and Oratory in Waterbury. In addition, Attorney Shehu has written extensively on the Twenty-fifth Amendment and law firm retention by multinational firms.
Doug F.
Doug has over 20 years of private and public company general counsel experience focusing his legal practice on commercial transactions including both software and biotech. He is a tech savvy, business savvy lawyer who is responsive and will attain relationship building outcomes with your counterparty while effectively managing key risks and accelerating revenue. He received his Juris Doctor from Boston University School of Law earning the Book Award in Professional Ethics and after graduation he taught legal writing there for a number of years. Prior to law school, Doug earned a M.A in Mathematics at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, and a B.S in Honors Mathematics at Purdue University. After law school, Doug joined Fish & Richardson, where his practice focused on licensing software, trademarks and biotech. While at Fish & Richardson Doug authored a book on software licensing published by the American Intellectual Property Lawyers Association. Later he joined as General Counsel at FTP Software and led an IPO as well as corporate development. Doug has broad experience with a broad range of commercial agreement drafting and negotiation including SaaS software and professional services, distribution and other channel agreements, joint venture and M&A. Doug continued his leadership, corporate governance and commercial transaction practice at Mercury Computers (NASDAQ:MRCY) leading corporate development. Doug’s experience ranges from enterprise software to biotech and other vertical markets. He joined the board of Deque Systems in 2009 and joined in an operating role as President in 2020 successfully scaling the software business.
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Browse Lawyers NowLawyer Reviews for Massachusetts Noncompete Agreement Projects
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Employee Rights
Noncompete Agreement
Florida
Noncompete agreement geographic scope?
I recently left my job of five years and have been offered a new position with a competitor. The new employer has asked me to sign a noncompete agreement. I am concerned about the geographic scope of the agreement and need to understand what areas it would cover, and if it would prevent me from taking a position with a competitor in another state or country.
Daniel D.
The Courts use a reasonableness standard determine if a non-compete is reasonable in time and geographic scope. It would be necessary to see the non-compete to tell you what it says, the areas it would cover and if it would prevent you from taking another position.
Employment
Noncompete Agreement
New York
Noncompete agreement breach consequences?
I recently left my job as an employee at a company that I had worked for for over a year. I was asked to sign a noncompete agreement when I began the job, which I did. I have since started a new job in the same industry as my former employer, which is in violation of the noncompete agreement. I am now wondering what the consequences of this breach of contract may be and am seeking legal advice.
Gregory F.
I would be happy to schedule a paid telephone consultation with you to review the non-compete agreement, advise you on its scope and enforceability, and answer your questions. Please contact me via email at greg@fidlonlegal.com to discuss.
Employment
Noncompete Agreement
Missouri
Could someone go to jail if they are accused of fraud for never intending to not breaching his or her non compete non solicit contract?
I am really curious when employment contract can become criminal. Is it criminal to ask you coworker to come work with you, considering if you are accused of fraud for breaching non compete non solicit?
Matthew S.
No, this at worst is a civil matter and not a criminal matter. F
Employee Rights
Noncompete Agreement
Texas
Noncompete agreement and moonlighting?
I am an employee at a company that has recently asked me to sign a noncompete agreement. I am considering doing so, but I am concerned about whether or not the agreement would prevent me from taking on additional freelance work outside of my normal job. I am interested in moonlighting and need to know if a noncompete agreement would limit my ability to do so.
Curt L.
If you moonlighting work is in the same business and same market, it is almost certainly prohibited by a noncompete agreement.
Employer
Noncompete Agreement
Connecticut
Can a noncompete agreement be waived?
I am a small business owner in the retail industry and I am looking to hire a new employee. The employee has a noncompete agreement with their previous employer that I am concerned about. I want to know if it's possible for the agreement to be waived so that I can be sure I'm making the right decision in hiring this employee.
Thomas L.
Yes, the parties to contracts can always agree to amendments and waivers. However, the former employer may have no interest in waiving the contract in this particular situation.
Quick, user friendly and one of the better ways I've come across to get ahold of lawyers willing to take new clients.
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