Non-compete clauses went from scary to unenforceable in my state, what gives?

Honestly, I signed a non-compete back in 2019 for a sales gig in Austin and it basically locked me out of any competitor within 50 miles for 2 years. Then last spring my buddy signed the same kind of deal with a new employer, and HR straight up told him they don't even enforce those anymore because the state court ruled them void unless you're selling the business. Night and day difference in the language and the fear factor. Is anyone else seeing this shift in their industry, or is my state just weird about it now?

2 comments

2 Comments

wood.uma2d ago

Tbh that shift is real in a lot of places now. My cousin got hit with one back in 2017 from a marketing firm in Dallas and it basically forced him to move for work. Now his current company in the same city straight up tells new hires they can ignore those clauses since the courts keep tossing them. It feels like employers used those things to scare people more than anything. Glad your buddy caught a break, that stress is awful when you're just trying to pay rent.

torres.blair2d ago

Is that 50-mile radius thing still even legal anywhere in Texas now, or did the courts just nuke it for everyone? Cause it sounds like your buddy's HR is being upfront, but plenty of companies still slip those clauses in hoping people don't know better. Do you think most folks just sign without reading, or are employers counting on that fear factor doing the heavy lifting?