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Joining a competitor in the UAE after terminating a labor contract in Finland

Dear lawyers,

If my contract is terminated by a Finnish company, can I join a competitor in the Middle East if I have a clause in the contract saying I can not join a competitor?

Sheher Bano

Middle East Alliance Legal Consultancy (MEALC)

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13 Jan 2022, 12:13

Dear questioner,

There must be a time period mentioned in the contract. Moreover, you can join if you are taking the clients of the previous company.

13 Jan 2022, 12:17

There was a time period of 1 year.

But is Finnish law applicable in the Middle East?

13 Jan 2022, 12:23

Pursuant to the previous, there is a typo. You can join if you are NOT taking any client after the expiry of the Non-compete period.

In many industries, a non-compete with a duration of 6-months will be considered reasonable, and therefore enforceable.

The general rule is that the duration of the agreement should not exceed the time reasonably necessary to protect the employer's legitimate business interests.

13 Jan 2022, 12:38

Thank you!

If I join a UAE trading company that has competitor products, they are agents not manufacturer, is that OK?

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