It is not really the sort of issue that we in BEERG have traditionally paid much attention to, but we do know that it is something our colleagues in the US get concerned about. Maybe it is the fact that “hire and fire” comes more easily in the US than in Europe, especially when it comes to “fire”. Whether an individual dismissal or a collective redundancy, that are procedures to be followed, which allows time for issues to be sorted out. In the US, with its doctrine of “employment at will”, dismissal can be instantaneous. Gone in 60 seconds.
In recent years, non-compete agreements have become commonplace across the US. So much so, that the federal government is now moving to stamp down on them. See this story from our colleagues in HR Policy here. All of which explains why this story in EurActiv caught our attention.
Could a law on non-competes be on the way in Europe? Is it that important an issue?
