◤知多点◢ 雇主能否限制离职员工 期限内不能到同行公司工作?
问:员工想要辞职时,才发觉当在职时所签署的雇佣合约,有一条条款是禁止员工离职后的一段固定期限内,不能从事同行业工作/加入竞争对手的商业,
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
或当员工辞职时,被雇主要求签署一份合约,其效果是约束离职后的员工,不能在所限制的期限内从事同行业工作。
请问约束员工离职后从事行业的条款具有法律效力吗?
答: 在法律上,一旦签署了合约,合约会对双方具有约束力。
但是,根据1950年合同法令第28条文(约束交易的协议无效- Agreement in restraint of trade void),除了该条文所述的3种情况下,约束离职后的员工的从事职业的条款对普通员工是没有法律效力的。
其外,马来西亚的上诉法院 (Court of Appeal) 也在案件中裁定,以及确认了该条款的立场,即约束交易的协议是无效的。
第28条文阐明,任何约束当事人从事一项合法职业、交易或任何种类的商业,在其相应范围内无效。
除了:
1. 出售商誉方不为该商业的限制协议
(Saving of agreement not to carry on business of which goodwill is sold)
出售商誉方同意买者于特定的地区不为相似之商业,只要买方或从其出售的商誉中获得权利的他人从事相似之商业:假设该限制与该商业之本质有关,对法庭而言是合理的 。
(Exception 1—One who sells the goodwill of a business may agree with the buyer to refrain carrying on a similar business, within specified local limits, so long as the buyer, or any person deriving title to the goodwill from him, carries on a like business therein: Provided that such limits appear to the court reasonable, regard being had to the nature of the business.)
2. 解散合伙前的合伙人之间的协议
(of agreement between partners prior to dissolution)
正在或预期将解散合伙的合伙人同意,他们中的一些或全部于特定的地区不从事与合伙相似的业务,相关限制同例外 1。
(Exception 2—Partners may, upon or in anticipation of a dissolution of the partnership, agree that some or all of them will not carry on a business similar to that of the partnership within such local limits as are referred to in exception 1.)
3. 或于合伙存续期间所定协议
(or during continuance of partnership)
合伙人可同意,在合伙存续期间,他们中的一些或全部将不从事某种商业,并不限于合伙业务。
(Exception 3—Partners may agree that some one or all of them will not carry on any business, other than that of the partnership, during the continuance of the partnership.)
* 以上资讯僅供參考, 不能作为任何个别案件的法律意见。
参考:
1.1950年合同法令 (Contracts Act 1950)
http://www.agc.gov.my/agcportal/uploads/files/Publications/LOM/EN/Act%20136.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0SFJT4OTINvBkURz6sCVwVhOmabkhdW99fXNywL5RzNuWWw8BjoLLAXno
资料来源:
法律与你同行 Law & Justice面子書專頁:
bit.ly/lawnjusticefbpage
法律与你同行 Law & Justice諮詢群組:
bit.ly/lawnjusticefbgroup
浏览律师楼的法律文章:
www.kuekong.com