The starting point under Singapore law is that any contractual term restricting a former employee’s business activities after termination of employment (known as a restraint of trade clause or a restrictive covenant) is – on its face – void and unenforceable for being a restraint on the freedom of trade and contrary to public policy.

The Ontario government has proposed legislative amendments to require companies to establish a ‘right to disconnect’ policy for their employees and to ban non-competition provisions in employment agreements. If enacted, this legislation would be a first in Canada.

The proposed amendments to the Ontario Employment Standards Act, 2000 include the following:

  • ‘Right to disconnect’:

French law allows an employer to subject an employee to a non-compete obligation after the termination of his/her employment under certain conditions. However, in practice, an employer may realize at the time of the termination that an employee will actually not be in a position to constitute a threat to its interests even if he/she

In France the rules governing restraint of trade provisions in the context of an employment relationship have been established through case law. Generally speaking, restrictive covenants in an employment contract will only be considered enforceable by French courts if:

  • it can be shown that the inclusion of the restriction protects a legitimate business interest; and