談競業禁止的替代條款 Alternatives to Non-Compete Clauses

2023年6月26日

在處理公司聘雇合約的法務們,一定不能忽視今年初,美國聯邦交易委員會 (FTC, Federal Trade Commission) 提出廢除競業禁止條款的立法 (Proposed Rule to Ban Non-compete Clauses)


面對禁止「競業禁止」的潮流


雖說對競業禁止採「原則禁止,少數例外 」的態度已經在近年來成為各州的立法趨勢(adopted statutes rendering non-compete clauses void with limited exceptions),這不單指個人主義至上的加州,最近連世界公司首都的德拉瓦州 Delaware 也開始禁止。


一旦 TFC 成功推行「競業禁止條款構成聯邦交易委員法所禁止的不公平競爭方法 (Non-compete agreements constitute an unfair method of competition and therefore violate Section 5 of the FTC Act - 15 U.S.C. § 45),倘若雇主不符合少數准許的例外情況( 例如出售業務sale of business),就只能跟這個擋人絕招說再見啦。


話說,在保護雇主的營業秘密(Trade Secret)、智財 (Intellectual Property) 與人才(Key Talent)的做法上,我們常常能在僱傭 Employment、終止 Termination 或裁員合約 Redundancy Agreement 中看到所謂的限制條款(Restive Covenants),競業禁止條款便屬於限制條款三大類型之一(另外兩種是保密條款Confidentiality Clause 和禁止招攬條款 Non-solicitation Clause )。話不多說,我們先來看看標準的中英文競業禁止條款中基本要素、架構與文字:

  • 定義競業禁止期間 Definition of Non-compete Period
  • 定義競業禁止地區 Definition of Non-compete Area
  • 定義限制業務 Definition of Restricted Businesses
  • 定義競爭對手 Definition of Competing Enterprise


  • 競業禁止義務 Non-compete Obligation:

    乙方同意,在禁止競業期間內,於禁止競業地區,不得直接或間接擁有、經營、管理、控制、參與限制業務,或就限制業務提供諮詢、建議、服務或以任何方式從事限制業務。

    Part B agrees that, during the Non-compete Period, in the Non-compete Area, he or she shall not directly or indirectly own, operate, manage, control, participate in, consult with, advise, provide services for, or in any manner engage in the Restricted Businesses.


  • 終止聘僱與賠償保證 Termination & Indemnification :

    若乙方違反限制條款,公司可自行判斷立即解雇乙方。此外,公司因乙方涉嫌或實際違反限制條款所引起的任何索賠而產生之損失、支出和/或律師費用,乙方同意全額賠償。

    In the event that Part B violates a restrictive covenant, Part B may be terminated immediately at the Company's sole discretion. Furthermore, Part B agrees to fully compensate the Company for any damages, costs, and/or attorney's fees incurred by the Company as a result of any claims arising from Part B's alleged or actual breach of a restrictive covenant.


代打好手一:保密條款 Non-Disclosure Agreement

不過,在競業禁止可能面臨「出師未捷身先死」的命運下,一馬當先的好朋友——「保密條款」得肩負起更沈重的責任,針對不同對象定義機密資訊與其例外,接收者針對何種目的、在何種情況才可使用機密資訊,仔細地「客製化」。讓我們來看看經典的保密條款 Confidentiality / Non-disclosure Clause 的要素有哪些:

  • 定義機密資訊 Definition of Confidential Information

  • 保密義務例外情況 Non-Disclosure Exceptions:


  • 以下情況可容許揭露機密資訊:

    Disclosure of Confidential Information shall not be precluded, if such disclosure is:


  • 保密義務 Confidentiality Obligation


乙方同意,在乙方與公司的僱傭關係期間及終止後,僅基於公司的專屬利益,在身為公司受僱人的職務範圍內使用機密資訊Party B hereby agrees that, during and after Party B’s Term of Employment with the Company, Party B agrees to use Confidential Information only in the course and scope of Party B’s employment by the Company and for the exclusive benefit of the Company.


除非揭露行為是基於受僱於公司及代表公司所需,任何時候,無論是在與公司的僱傭關係期間亦或終止後,乙方皆不得直接或間接使用、公佈、散佈、傳遞機密資訊或以其他方式向任何其他人士或實體揭露機密資訊。Except for disclosure in the course and scope of Party B’s employment by the Company and on behalf of the Company, Party B will never at any time, either during or after employment by the Company, directly or indirectly, use, publish, disseminate, distribute or otherwise disclose any Confidential Information to any other person or entity.


乙方同意採取一切必要措施,以及根據公司的要求,確保機密資訊維持機密和保密狀態,僅基於公司的專屬利益及使用目的,遵守公司所有關於機密資訊的儲存和安全性的相關政策和程序。Party B agrees to take all steps necessary, and all steps requested by the Company, to ensure that the Confidential Information is kept secret and confidential and for the sole use and benefit of the Company and to comply with all applicable policies and procedures of the Company regarding the storage and security of all Confidential Information.


代打好手二:禁止招攬條款 Non-solicitation Clause 


如果說,保密條款是在保護公司的營業秘密與IP,那為避免流失人才與客戶,就要靠禁止招攬條款 Non-solicitation Clause 來維護啦!

  • 定義禁止招攬期間 Definition of Non-Solicitation Period

  • 禁止招攬員工與獨立承包商 Non-Solicitation of Employees or Independent Contractors


乙方同意,在禁止招攬期間內,乙方不得直接或間接招攬或試圖讓公司任何員工或以任何合作方式與公司簽約的獨立承包商終止與公司的雇傭關係或合約關係。Party B agrees that, during the Non-Solicitation Period, Party B shall not directly or indirectly, solicit or attempt to induce any employee of Company or independent contractor engaged and/or utilized by Company in any capacity to terminate his/her employment with, or engagement by, Company.


同樣地,在禁止招攬期間內,乙方不得直接或間接地為其他實體或人士聘請或試圖聘請公司任何員工或以任何合作方式與公司簽約的獨立承包商。Likewise, during the Non-Solicitation Period, Party B shall not, directly or indirectly, hire or attempt to hire for another entity or person any employee of Company or independent contractor engaged and/or utilized by Company in any capacity.

  • 禁止招攬客戶 Non-Solicitation of Clients


乙方不得利用其與甲方的合作關係來招攬甲方客戶,亦不得試圖獲取其聯絡資訊,尤其不得直接以自身名義聯繫這些客戶。此外,如果任何甲方客戶試圖與乙方建立聯繫,乙方應首先徵得甲方同意。在未獲得甲方事前同意的情況下,乙方承諾斷絕與這些客戶進行任何形式的商業合作。Party B shall not use its cooperative relationship with Party A to solicit Party A's clients or attempt to obtain their contact information and, in particular, shall not contact such clients directly in its own right. Additionally, if any of Party A's clients should try to establish contact with Party B, Party B shall first ask for consent from Party A. Without Party A's prior consent, Party B shall undertake to desist from any form of business cooperation with such clients.


轉讓智財條款 Intellectual Property Assignments & 禁止傷害名譽條款 Non-Disparagement Clauses


以上介紹完競業禁止條款的兩個「好友」後,還有兩個「熟人」,分別是保護公司智財「肥水不落外人田」的轉讓智財條款 Intellectual Property Assignments,以及保護公司聲譽「善護口業功德一件」的禁止貶低條款 Non-Disparagement Clauses。話說回來,這些親朋好友還是無法像競業禁止那般可以直接「擋人去處」,而未來局勢如何,面對帶有競業禁止的合約在美國究竟會不會即將失效,新型態的限制條款內容如何,FTC 的行政命令效力是否及於所有產業,身為法律圈的我們,敬請期待吧!