Business Disputes · answered on camera

Attorney Michael Campbell Discusses Whether Covenants Not To Compete Are Valid. Are They Worth The Effort?

Name: Attorney Michael Campbell Discusses Whether Covenants Not To Compete Are Valid. Are They Worth The Effort?
Uploaded: 2024-01-13T11:08:55Z
Channel: Michael Campbell
Description: Are non-competes worth it? Pierce County, Washington attorney Michael Campbell says often not. He notes California treats employee non-competes as invalid, while Washington allows them only if narrowly written—a term longer than a year, or one covering too broad an area, likely won't be enforced, and an overly heavy-handed clause may be thrown out entirely.

Quick answer

Are non-competes worth it? Pierce County, Washington attorney Michael Campbell says often not. He notes California treats employee non-competes as invalid, while Washington allows them only if narrowly written—a term longer than a year, or one covering too broad an area, likely won't be enforced, and an overly heavy-handed clause may be thrown out entirely.

Excerpt summaries from the video and transcripts · how we make them

Law updateNOTE — current law: Washington now regulates non-competes by statute (RCW 49.62, effective 2020): void unless the worker earns above an annually-adjusted income threshold ($126,858.83 for employees in 2026), must be disclosed in writing, and durations over 18 months are presumptively unreasonable. Washington has since enacted a near-total ban (HB 1155) voiding virtually all non-competes effective June 30, 2027. California voids employee non-competes under Bus. & Prof. Code §16600; 2024 amendments (SB 699 / AB 1076) extend the ban to out-of-state agreements and require employers to notify affected workers.

Answered by Michael Campbell · Pierce County, WA

Highlights

0:48

— why California disfavors employee non-competes

1:30

— how a non-compete must be narrowly written to hold up

2:33

— why a heavy-handed clause gets thrown out entirely

Frequently Asked Questions

Are non-competes worth the effort?

Often not. California treats employee non-competes as invalid, while Washington allows them only if narrowly written.

How narrow must a non-compete be?

Very—a term longer than a year, or one covering too broad an area, likely won't be enforced.

What happens to an overreaching non-compete?

A heavy-handed clause can be thrown out entirely, leaving the employer with no protection at all.

→ Full interview on Attorneys.Media

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Contact Michael Campbell

Answered by

Michael Campbell
Law Office of Michael A. Campbell

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