Non-Compete Covenants in NP Employment Agreements

The process of negotiating an employment contract can be extremely complicated. After a successful hiring process, the nurse practitioner is typically given a written employment contract that contains a number of provisions, including scope of practice, duties, benefits, worksites, and the like. Frequently, this contract also contains provisions that restrict the nurse practitioner's ability to compete with the employer when the relationship is terminated. The law refers to such provisions as covenants not to compete or, more generally, restrictive covenants. This article provides a brief overview of covenants not to compete and reviews some of the cases that have arisen in this regard. The article also suggests some strategies a nurse practitioner will want to consider when negotiating such clauses in an employment contract.