Tag: At Will Employment

Tennessee is an At-Will Employment state. That means you can be fired for cause or no cause at any time.

Unless you entered into a Contract For Employment when you started your employment. In those few cases, your employer may not be able to terminate you without providing compensation. Or, sometimes, you can’t quit without owing your Employer money. I advise all entering a Contract For Employment to READ, READ, READ it, and then let an attorney review that contract on your behalf.

While having a contract may seem like the way to go, most often, the contract is prepared by the attorney for the Employer. This means it serves the Employer’s interest more than your own. What you will find in most employment agreements is that the employer has included a covenant not to compete. That means you may be unable to work for anyone whose business “competes” with your Employer. Nor will you be able to start your own company that “competes” with your Employer.

Courts don’t like Covenants Not-To-Compete. However, if you negotiated one and received compensation for entering into the Non-Compete, the Court will enforce the agreement if it finds it reasonable. This means you’ve still got to be able to eat. The Employer can’t restrict you to the point that it becomes completely unreasonable. A court of law can decide whether you should quit and be unable to work because of the Non-Compete.

Kane & Crowell Can Help

Our office has represented both sides in Wilson, Davidson, Macon, and Smith Counties. We represent several employers and have drafted both employment agreements and covenants not to compete. We have also enforced these agreements through Restraining Orders when Employees have violated them.

Additionally, we have taken legal action to represent employees challenging employers with excessively restrictive non-compete agreements that the court must invalidate. Entering into employment contracts should never be approached lightly. These contracts can both help you and later hinder you. For questions about Employment Contracts and Non-Compete, contact us at https://www.kane-law.com/contact-us/