Many people in Texas mistakenly believe that because Texas is a “right to work state,” employees in Texas cannot be bound by non-compete agreements (agreements designed to prohibit an employee from competing with an employer post-employment). Not so, says Dallas employment law lawyer Keith Clouse. In fact, that phrase does not even refer to a person’s right to compete with a former employer, and such agreements are routinely enforced in Texas.
Instead, the phrase “right to work state” refers to a person’s right to work in Texas regardless of the person’s membership or non-membership in a labor union or other labor organization. Simply put, Texas law prohibits employers from forcing employees to either participate in or refrain from participating in a labor union; employees may decide for themselves whether to join a union or to financially support a union. Approximately half the states in the United States have similar right to work laws.
To discuss Texas employment laws with an attorney or for employment law advice regarding a non-compete agreement, please contact the employment law lawyers at Clouse Dunn Khoshbin LLP at [email protected].
