Konkurrensklausuler i anställningsförhållanden – En komparativ studie av svensk, norsk och kalifornisk rätt
(2024) JURM02 20241Department of Law
Faculty of Law
- Abstract
- When an employment contract has come to an end, an employee is free to start competing with his or her former employer. This freedom includes the right to recruit former colleagues, to join a competitor of their former employer, and to keep the client base established during their previous employment. However, a non-compete clause can temporarily prohibit an employee from competing with their former employer.
These clauses raise complex legal issues concerning the balance between workers' freedom of movement and employers' need to protect their investments. Different legal systems deal with the balance between these competing interests in different ways. The following essay subsequently examines non-compete clauses in Swedish,... (More) - When an employment contract has come to an end, an employee is free to start competing with his or her former employer. This freedom includes the right to recruit former colleagues, to join a competitor of their former employer, and to keep the client base established during their previous employment. However, a non-compete clause can temporarily prohibit an employee from competing with their former employer.
These clauses raise complex legal issues concerning the balance between workers' freedom of movement and employers' need to protect their investments. Different legal systems deal with the balance between these competing interests in different ways. The following essay subsequently examines non-compete clauses in Swedish, Norwegian, and Californian law, with the aim of exploring both the similarities between these legal systems and the interests that have been prioritized by them.
Non-compete clauses are permitted under Swedish law. They are primarily regulated through 38 § avtalslagen, which states that these clauses are permit-ted provided that they are reasonable. Furthermore, in 1969 and 2015, the central labor market organizations entered into agreements on the permissibility of non-compete clauses. These collective bargaining agreements have largely guided Swedish case law. It is clear that there is a certain scope for using non-competition clauses in Swedish law, but the parallel regulations have created some uncertainty about the application of the law.
Non-compete clauses are also permitted in Norwegian law and have been regulated in chapter 14 A arbeidsmiljøloven since January 1, 2016. The new regulation is comprehensive, detail-oriented, and has led to increased predictability for both employers and employees. Furthermore, the statutory minimum rights and conditions of applicability have strengthened employees' previously weak position in employment relationships.
California broadly prohibits non-compete clauses, as provided by California Business and Professions Code § 16600. The provision is given a broad interpretation and applies to any agreement that prevents employees from engaging in a lawful profession, trade, or business. The Californian regulation has had unintended beneficial financial effects and has led to a labor market where worker mobility is high.
Overall, the Swedish, Norwegian, and Californian regulations reflect different approaches to balancing employers' protection needs and workers' freedom of movement in the labor market. Norway has a more restrictive and defined regulation, Sweden a more flexible and individualized regulation, and California an uncompromising approach to non-compete clauses. (Less) - Abstract (Swedish)
- När ett anställningsförhållande har tagit slut är arbetstagaren fri att börja konkurrera med sin tidigare arbetsgivare. Denna frihet innefattar däribland rätten att värva tidigare kollegor, börja arbeta hos en konkurrent till arbetsgivaren, och ta med den kundbas som etablerats under anställningsförhållandet. En konkurrensklausul kan emellertid temporärt förbjuda arbetstagaren från att konkurrera med sin tidigare arbetsgivare.
Konkurrensklausuler väcker komplexa rättsliga frågor som rör balansen mellan arbetstagares fria rörlighet och arbetsgivares behov av skydd för sina investeringar. Olika rättsordningar hanterar balansen mellan dessa motstående intressen på olika sätt. I uppsatsen behandlas följaktligen konkurrensklausuler i svensk,... (More) - När ett anställningsförhållande har tagit slut är arbetstagaren fri att börja konkurrera med sin tidigare arbetsgivare. Denna frihet innefattar däribland rätten att värva tidigare kollegor, börja arbeta hos en konkurrent till arbetsgivaren, och ta med den kundbas som etablerats under anställningsförhållandet. En konkurrensklausul kan emellertid temporärt förbjuda arbetstagaren från att konkurrera med sin tidigare arbetsgivare.
Konkurrensklausuler väcker komplexa rättsliga frågor som rör balansen mellan arbetstagares fria rörlighet och arbetsgivares behov av skydd för sina investeringar. Olika rättsordningar hanterar balansen mellan dessa motstående intressen på olika sätt. I uppsatsen behandlas följaktligen konkurrensklausuler i svensk, norsk, och kalifornisk rätt, i syfte att dels utröna vilka likheter som finns mellan de olika regelverken, dels vilka intressen som har prioriterats av de olika rättsordningarna.
I Sverige är konkurrensklausuler tillåtna. De regleras primärt genom en generalklausul i 38 § avtalslagen, vilket stadgar att dessa klausuler är tillåtna under förutsättningen att de är skäliga. De centrala arbetsmarknadsorganisationerna har dessutom år 1969 och 2015 ingått överenskommelser om tillåtligheten av konkurrensklausuler. Dessa kollektivavtal har till stora delar varit styrande för rättspraxis. Det står klart att det finns ett givet utrymme för att använda konkurrensklausuler i svensk rätt, men de parallella regelverken har skapat en viss oklarhet kring rättstillämpningen.
Konkurrensklausuler är även tillåtna i norsk rätt och är sedan den 1 januari 2016 reglerade i kapitel 14 A arbeidsmiljøloven. Den nya regleringen är omfattande, detaljorienterad, och har lett till ökad förutsägbarhet för både arbetsgivare och arbetstagare. Vidare har de lagstadgade minimirättigheterna och giltighetsvillkoren stärkt arbetstagarens svaga ställning i anställningsförhållanden.
I Kalifornien verkställs inte konkurrensklausuler i anställningsförhållanden, vilket stadgas California Business & Professions Code § 16600. Bestämmelsen ges en vidsträckt tolkning och gäller alla former av överenskommelser som hindrar arbetstagare från att utöva ett lagligt yrke eller affärsverksamhet. Den kaliforniska regleringen har haft oavsiktligt gynnsamma ekonomiska effekter och lett till en arbetsmarknad där arbetstagares rörlighet är hög.
Sammantaget reflekterar den svenska, norska, och kaliforniska regleringarna olika synsätt på balansen mellan arbetsgivares skyddsbehov och arbetstagares fria rörlighet på arbetsmarknaden. Norge har en mer restriktiv och definierad reglering, Sverige en mer flexibel och individualiserad reglering, och Kalifornien en kompromisslös inställning till konkurrensklausuler. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9152226
- author
- McCready, Victoria LU
- supervisor
- organization
- alternative title
- Non-competition clauses in employment relationships – A comparative study of Swedish, Norwegian and Californian law
- course
- JURM02 20241
- year
- 2024
- type
- H3 - Professional qualifications (4 Years - )
- subject
- keywords
- arbetsrätt, avtalsrätt, komparativ rätt, konkurrensklausuler, anställningsförhållanden
- language
- Swedish
- id
- 9152226
- date added to LUP
- 2024-06-20 11:20:42
- date last changed
- 2024-06-20 11:20:42
@misc{9152226,
abstract = {{When an employment contract has come to an end, an employee is free to start competing with his or her former employer. This freedom includes the right to recruit former colleagues, to join a competitor of their former employer, and to keep the client base established during their previous employment. However, a non-compete clause can temporarily prohibit an employee from competing with their former employer.
These clauses raise complex legal issues concerning the balance between workers' freedom of movement and employers' need to protect their investments. Different legal systems deal with the balance between these competing interests in different ways. The following essay subsequently examines non-compete clauses in Swedish, Norwegian, and Californian law, with the aim of exploring both the similarities between these legal systems and the interests that have been prioritized by them.
Non-compete clauses are permitted under Swedish law. They are primarily regulated through 38 § avtalslagen, which states that these clauses are permit-ted provided that they are reasonable. Furthermore, in 1969 and 2015, the central labor market organizations entered into agreements on the permissibility of non-compete clauses. These collective bargaining agreements have largely guided Swedish case law. It is clear that there is a certain scope for using non-competition clauses in Swedish law, but the parallel regulations have created some uncertainty about the application of the law.
Non-compete clauses are also permitted in Norwegian law and have been regulated in chapter 14 A arbeidsmiljøloven since January 1, 2016. The new regulation is comprehensive, detail-oriented, and has led to increased predictability for both employers and employees. Furthermore, the statutory minimum rights and conditions of applicability have strengthened employees' previously weak position in employment relationships.
California broadly prohibits non-compete clauses, as provided by California Business and Professions Code § 16600. The provision is given a broad interpretation and applies to any agreement that prevents employees from engaging in a lawful profession, trade, or business. The Californian regulation has had unintended beneficial financial effects and has led to a labor market where worker mobility is high.
Overall, the Swedish, Norwegian, and Californian regulations reflect different approaches to balancing employers' protection needs and workers' freedom of movement in the labor market. Norway has a more restrictive and defined regulation, Sweden a more flexible and individualized regulation, and California an uncompromising approach to non-compete clauses.}},
author = {{McCready, Victoria}},
language = {{swe}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Konkurrensklausuler i anställningsförhållanden – En komparativ studie av svensk, norsk och kalifornisk rätt}},
year = {{2024}},
}