Non-compete law in Connecticut

Exceptions and special rules

• No statutory sale-of-business provision; covered by common law
• Physician covenants entered into, amended, extended or renewed on or after 2023-10-01 are subject to the compensation-change rule except covenants with a group practice of not more than 35 physicians, majority-owned by physicians (§ 20-14p(b)(3)); the exemption is stated only for physicians, not PAs or APRNs
• Physicians. Valid only if necessary to protect a legitimate business interest, reasonably limited in time, geography and practice restrictions, and consistent with law and public policy; the party enforcing bears the burden of proof. Covenants entered into, amended, extended or renewed on or after 2016-07-01 may not restrict competition for more than one year or in a region more than 15 miles from the primary site (a single office, facility or location mutually agreed and defined in the covenant), and are unenforceable if the contract expires and is not renewed without a bona fide offer to renew on the same or similar terms, or if the employer terminates other than for cause (outside partnership/ownership agreements). Since 2023-10-01: unenforceable if the physician does not agree to a proposed material compensation change and the contract then expires without renewal or the employer terminates without cause (not for groups of 35 or fewer physicians majority-owned by physicians). Must be separately and individually signed. (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 20-14p)
• Physician assistants. For covenants entered into, amended, extended or renewed on or after 2023-10-01: same legitimate-interest and reasonableness test; at most one year and 15 miles from the primary site; unenforceable on non-renewal without a bona fide renewal offer or employer termination without cause; unenforceable under the same compensation-change rule (no small-group exemption in the text); must be separately and individually signed. (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 20-12k)
• Advanced practice registered nurses. Same as physician assistants for covenants entered into, amended, extended or renewed on or after 2023-10-01 (one year, 15 miles, termination/non-renewal and compensation-change conditions, separate signature). (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 20-101d)
• Security guards (SOC classification 339032). An employer may not require an agreement barring the person from the same or a similar job, at the same location, for another employer or as self-employed, unless the employer proves the person obtained the employer's trade secrets (as defined in § 35-51(d)). Applies to agreements entered into, renewed or extended on or after 2007-10-01. (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-50a)
• Broadcast employees (excluding sales/management functions). A broadcast industry employer's employment contract may not require the employee to refrain from employment in a specified area for a specified time after termination, to disclose offers from other broadcast employers after the term, or to agree to renew on the terms a prospective employer offers. Applies to contracts entered into, renewed or extended on or after 2007-07-01. (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-50b)
• Individuals providing companion, homemaker or home health services. Any covenant not to compete is against public policy and void and unenforceable. 'Covenant not to compete' (§ 20-670(4)) = any agreement or contract restricting an individual's right to provide companion, home health or homemaker services in any geographic area of the state for any period, or to a specific individual. (Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 20-681, 20-670(4) (P.A. 19-117, effective June 26, 2019; P.A. 22-104))

Non-solicitation clauses

No statute on employee or customer non-solicitation for general employees; common law.

Contracts naming another state's law

None in the statutes reviewed.

Remedies

Health-care covenants: the part of a covenant rendered void is severed and other contract provisions remain in force, including damages for injury from termination (§ 20-14p(c), § 20-12k(c), § 20-101d(c)). Security guards: aggrieved person may sue for damages and injunctive/equitable relief; Labor Commissioner may ask the Attorney General to seek restitution (§ 31-50a(b)). Broadcast employees: civil action for damages with court costs and reasonable attorney's fees (§ 31-50b(c)).

Which agreements it covers

Physician one-year/15-mile limits apply to covenants entered into, amended, extended or renewed on or after 2016-07-01 (P.A. 16-95); the compensation-change rule and the PA and APRN statutes apply to those on or after 2023-10-01 (P.A. 23-97, statute history shows effective July 1, 2023; the operative dates in the text are Oct. 1, 2023).

Recent changes

• 2026-04-02. HB 5492 (2026), 'An Act Concerning Limitations on the Use of Noncompete Agreements' (void for workers earning under twice the minimum wage, one-year limits, etc., per secondaries), reported favorably and tabled for the House calendar; no later action recorded on the bill status page fetched 2026-10-14. Not enacted. Source
• 2025-03-31. HB 7196 (2025), same subject, favorable report and tabled for House calendar; 2025-05-14 referred by House to Judiciary. Not enacted. SB 354 (2025, would eliminate prohibitions) only referred to committee. Source
• 2023-10-01. P.A. 23-97 amended § 20-14p (compensation-change rule, definition of primary site) and added §§ 20-12k and 20-101d for PAs and APRNs. Source