R estrictive covenant agreements are frequently relied upon by employers to restrict the future activities of former employees following their separation from employment. These agreements are sometimes generically referred to as a "non-compete," but there are three types of restrictive covenants that employers commonly use: n non-competition (or "non-compete") agreements n non-solicitation agreements n non-disclosure agreements Each of these types of agreements prohibits an employee from engaging in certain activities after his or her employment has ended. Restrictive covenant agreements were originally relied on in the business world to ensure that key employees with knowledge of the inner workings of their employers could not accept employment with a competitor, solicit fellow employees to leave the employer, and/or disclose the employer's trade secrets to their new employer's advantage. Once limited to senior executives, restrictive covenant agreements are now being utilized by employers to bind employees at all levels. BIND s A PRIMER FOR BETTER UNDERSTANDING RESTRICTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENTS BY DONNA T. SALVIDIO, ESQ. November 2017 23