New Maine Restrictions on Non-Compete Agreements; Bans Restrictive Employment Agreements

A new Maine law will make it more difficult for Maine employers to enforce non-compete agreements, an issue of particular interest in the securities industry where non-competition agreements often have been used to deter brokers from changing jobs. In enacting the new legislation, Maine joins other New England states, including Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire, which also have new laws on the books limiting the enforceability of non-compete agreements.

On June 28, 2019, Governor Mills signed LD 733 (“An Act to Promote Keeping Workers in Maine”) into law. Under the new law, a noncompete agreement is defined as a contract or contract provision that prohibits an employee or prospective employee from working in the same or a similar profession or in a specified geographic area for a certain period of time following termination of employment.

The new law applies to noncompete agreements entered into or renewed after September 18, 2019.

The new law makes clear that noncompete agreements are “contrary to public policy” and enforceable only to the extent that they are reasonable and are no broader than necessary to protect one or more of the following legitimate business interests of the employer: the employer’s trade secrets, the employer’s confidential information that does not qualify as a trade secret, or the employer’s goodwill. A noncompete agreement may be presumed necessary if the legitimate business interest cannot be adequately protected through an alternative restrictive covenant, including but not limited to a nonsolicitation agreement or a nondisclosure or confidentiality agreement. 

Further, the new law prohibits an employer from requiring or entering into a noncompete agreement with an employee earning wages at or below 400% of the federal poverty level. 

If an employer requires a noncompete agreement for a position of employment, the employer must disclose that requirement in any advertisement for that position, and an employer must provide an employee or prospective employee with a copy of a noncompete agreement at least three business days before requiring that employee or prospective employee to sign the agreement. 

The terms of a noncompete agreement (except for a noncompete agreement with a physician) are not in effect until after an employee has been employed with the employer for at least one year or a period of six months from the date the agreement was signed, whichever is later. 

The law is enforceable as civil violation subject to a fine of $5,000 or more. The Department of Labor is responsible for enforcement of the law. 

LD 733 also addresses “Restrictive employment agreements,” defined as an agreement: (a) between two or more employers, including through a franchise agreement or a contractor and subcontractor agreement; and (b) prohibits or restricts one employer from soliciting or hiring another employer's employees or former employees. With respect to such agreements, an employer may not enter into a restrictive employment agreement or enforce or threaten to enforce a restrictive employment agreement. An employer that does so commits a civil violation subject to a fine of $5,000 or more. The Department of Labor is also responsible for enforcement of this section.