one for the lawyers
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Liszt

Original Poster:

4,334 posts

294 months

Thursday 26th February 2009
quotequote all
Just negotiating a job and they want this clause in:

You shall not, for a period of six months after the end of this Agreement, deal with, solicit or seek the custom of any entity or person who is or was an actual or potential client, business contact or customer of the Company (or of any company in the group) in the twelve months before the end of this Agreement and with whom you had contact or about whom you became aware is an actual or potential customer of the Company.

is this possible to enforce or is it a restriction of trade?

Opinions welcomed.
Ta

DamoLLb

1,775 posts

219 months

Thursday 26th February 2009
quotequote all
Seems a reasonable anti-poaching clause to me

Muntu

7,674 posts

223 months

Thursday 26th February 2009
quotequote all
Yes

IANAL

Plotloss

67,280 posts

294 months

Thursday 26th February 2009
quotequote all
Its too broad and therefore likely to be unenforceable.

If they said no currently engaged clients, for 1 month, within 5 miles of head office, of this company then it would be.

DamoLLb

1,775 posts

219 months

Thursday 26th February 2009
quotequote all
what type of area do you operate in, national, international, regional?

LordGrover

34,074 posts

236 months

Thursday 26th February 2009
quotequote all
Reasonable clause but I'd've thought terribly difficult to prove. More a scare 'em clause IYSWIM.

Liszt

Original Poster:

4,334 posts

294 months

Thursday 26th February 2009
quotequote all
DamoLLb said:
what type of area do you operate in, national, international, regional?
It's a contract Project Management job in Engineering working internationaly

JMGS4

8,889 posts

294 months

Thursday 26th February 2009
quotequote all
Under EU law only enforceable if they pay you in full for the "ban" time...

Liszt

Original Poster:

4,334 posts

294 months

Thursday 26th February 2009
quotequote all
JMGS4 said:
Under EU law only enforceable if they pay you in full for the "ban" time...
That was my impression. Is this what is meant by the Bosman Ruling?

therealpigdog

2,592 posts

221 months

Thursday 26th February 2009
quotequote all
Depends on the exact nature of what you are being contracted to do but my gut reaction is that it is too wide:

Customers and potential customers - should really only be limited to customers that you have had contact with or identified potential customers that you have been involved with.

Probably needs a geographic limit too, but depends on the nature of the job. Am afraid you won't get a definitive yes/no answer unless it goes to court.

Whether you accept it or not really depends on a couple of things:

are you likely to breach the terms (whether enforceable or not)?;
are they likely to pursue you for breach of contract?; and
can you afford/be bothered to argue it?

SLCZ3

1,277 posts

229 months

Thursday 26th February 2009
quotequote all
Liszt said:
DamoLLb said:
what type of area do you operate in, national, international, regional?
It's a contract Project Management job in Engineering working internationaly
If it is as you say a contract, fixed duration, none permanent position then it is a restriction of trade, tell em to stuff the clause.laugh

Jasandjules

72,011 posts

253 months

Thursday 26th February 2009
quotequote all
Accept the job, that clause is unlikely to be remotely enforceable in court.

Pickled Piper

6,450 posts

259 months

Thursday 26th February 2009
quotequote all
Jasandjules said:
Accept the job, that clause is unlikely to be remotely enforceable in court.
Exactly. It's not worth having a fight over. It's a "scare" clause that in practice is unenforceable.

pp