The accounting house built Employment Contracts for each of their accountants.
The accounting house didn’t waste time getting Employment Contracts for secretaries. Joanne joined the accounting firm as a secretary. She typed letters for the managing partner. She was instructed to send gifts to the client’s wives. She was obliged to know the names of key employees of the business clients. The managing partner was impressed with Joanne – and she was cheap labour. She was a loyal and dutiful employee.
One day Joanne was poached by another accounting house. Joanne rang her old accounting houses’ 20 largest clients. Four moved with her within 8 weeks.
Her old employer got a lawyer to write a letter threatening her with all manner of punishments. She smiled. She had no confidential clause restriction. She suffered no restraint of trade. She didn’t even have an Employment Contract. Relying on the latest court cases she used her mobile as a database to contact more clients.
Do you act for a client that has a Joanne?
It is never too late to sign Employment Contracts.
The non-competition clause then prevents the Employee from unfairly competing after termination. You also protect your client’s trade secrets, customer and client details, suppliers and your systems.
The latest court cases now allow you to force the Employee to leave on the spot and not work during garden leave.