You\u2019ve been itching to go freelance and leave your job at EasyPub, Inc. You want to call your own shots, set your own hours and work from your own space.<\/p>\n
You have weighed the pros and cons<\/a>, made a plan, and are ready to turn your side hustle into your full-time job. You have a couple of regular clients on board, with a few more waiting in the wings. You\u2019ve cleaned out that weird little nook in the corner of your house and put in a nice desk and some office trappings so you don\u2019t have to write with your laptop on your knees.<\/p>\n You\u2019ve given notice to your employer, EasyPub, updated your website, and given yourself a pump-up talk. You\u2019re ready to dive into life as a full-time freelancer<\/a>!<\/p>\n Before you do, make sure you\u2019ve planned ahead to get your legal ducks in a row — you don\u2019t want the contract you signed with your employer to come back to bite you.<\/p>\n If you know your obligations, you\u2019ll be able to prepare to launch your freelance business while staying on the right side of the law.<\/b> Here are the things you need to consider before you leave your day job.<\/p>\n If you signed a contract at any time while you were working for the company, you need to check to see if you agreed to these specific provisions. Some companies put these provisions in their employees handbooks, so you\u2019ll need to look at that, too.<\/p>\n A non-compete agreement prevents you from working in competition with your employer and must be limited in time (generally not more than two years) and geographic scope. Non-competes are enforceable in most, but not all states<\/a>.<\/p>\n If you have signed a non-compete, you must read it carefully to determine what you can and cannot do to make a living after you leave the company.<\/strong> For example, a non-compete might say that if you\u2019re a copywriter for a marketing company in Chicago, you can\u2019t work for any competitive company within a 25-mile radius for two years.<\/p>\n1. Your contractual obligations to your existing employer<\/b><\/h2>\n
Non-compete clause<\/h3>\n
Non-solicitation of customers agreement<\/h3>\n