Nevada Non-Compete Agreement Template

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Nevada Non-Compete Agreement Template

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Last updated December 2nd, 2022

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A Nevada non-compete agreement is a written contract imposed on an employee to prevent them from working with a competitor or starting a business similar to that of their employer. Employers must be mindful of the reasonableness of a non-compete’s restrictions as a court of law may view it as a restraint on trade if it unjustly impedes the employee’s livelihood.

When drafting this agreement, the employer will provide the length of the non-competition term, the geographical limits, and which activities the employee is prohibited from engaging in. The employee must adhere to the terms and conditions of the agreement post-termination or the employer may have a legal right to file for injunction or damages.

Contents

Enforceability in Nevada

Non-compete agreements are enforceable in Nevada if they prohibit an employee from working for the employer’s competitors or in the same industry as the employer.[1] They may also be used to prevent an employee from using any proprietary knowledge gained throughout the course of employment.[2]

When it IS Enforceable

  • Limitations. To be enforceable, a non-compete must adhere to the following requirements:[3]
    • The restrictions are only as broad as is necessary to safeguard the employer’s legitimate business interests. (This includes duration and geographical scope, the reasonableness of which is determined on a case-by-case basis.[4])
    • The restrictions do not create undue hardship for the employee.
    • The employer provides sufficient consideration for the employee.
    • The consideration is adequate in comparison to the restrictions placed on the employee.
  • Business sale. Non-compete agreements may be implemented ancillary to the sale of a business where the buyer wishes to prohibit the seller from competing with them within a specified geographical area and time period.[5]

When it’s NOT Enforceable

  • Unsolicited customers. A non-compete agreement is unenforceable if the employer is trying to prohibit the employee from performing services for former customers who left the employer voluntarily without solicitation by the employee. If a court determines that the employer attempted to prohibit the employee in this manner, they will award the employee attorneys’ fees and costs.[6][8]
  • Hourly wage workers. Employers are prohibited from establishing non-compete covenants against employees paid by the hour. An employee in this situation will be awarded attorneys’ fees and costs if an action is brought against them to enforce the agreement.[7][8]
  • Proposed operations. A non-compete that includes a geographical area where the employer intends on establishing business facilities or relationships (as opposed to current, provable operations) is not enforceable.[4]

Maximum Time Period

As mentioned above, a non-compete agreement’s time restriction must be reasonable, and this determination is made by courts depending on other factors of the case. In one case, a 1-year limitation within the city of Reno was imposed in a non-compete agreement and was considered reasonable.[9] In another, an employer established a 2-year non-compete agreement with a reasonable geographical scope, and the courts decided this was acceptable.[10]

Geographical Area

Geographical scope is another parameter that the courts consider to determine the reasonableness of an agreement. In general, they evaluate the limitations to ensure they protect the employer’s business but don’t hinder the employee’s ability to find gainful employment. Courts have enforced agreements where the employer proved that the proposed restricted area was where they have goodwill, a customer base, or offices/facilities.[4]

Consideration

A non-compete contract needs to include a benefit for the employee, which is known as consideration. In Nevada, courts of law deem an offer of employment or continued employment to be adequate consideration.[4]

Sources

  1. NRS § 613.195(8)(b)
  2. NRS § 613.200(4)
  3. NRS § 613.195(1)
  4. Camco, Inc. v. Baker, 113 Nev. 512, 936 P.2d 829 (Nev. 1997)
  5. NRS § 598A.040(5)(a)
  6. NRS § 613.195(2)
  7. NRS § 613.195(3)
  8. NRS § 613.195(7)
  9. Hansen v. Edwards, 83 Nev. 189, 426 P.2d 792 (Nev. 1967)
  10. Ellis v. McDaniel, 95 Nev. 455, 596 P.2d 222 (Nev. 1979)
  11. NRS § 613.195(6)
  12. NRS § 613.195(5)

Related Forms (2)

Nevada Non-Disclosure Agreement – A contract that aims to prevent the unwanted use or sharing of an entity’s confidential information.

Download: PDF, Word (.docx), OpenDocument

 

Nevada Non-Solicitation Agreement – A non-solicatation contract prohibits the recipient from engaging with the owner’s clients, staff, and other associated parties.

Download: PDF, Word (.docx), OpenDocument