How Minnesota treats non-competes
Minnesota is the most recent of the four states to void employee non-competes, and the date is the detail that matters most. The prohibition applies to agreements entered into on or after 1 July 2023, which means the date you signed can determine how your agreement is treated. It also reaches independent contractors, not only employees.
What that means in practice
- Non-competes in employment agreements entered into on or after 1 July 2023 are void and unenforceable.
- The prohibition covers independent contractors as well as employees — directly relevant to relief veterinarians engaged on a 1099 basis.
- The effective date matters: when you signed is a threshold question, so locate the execution date of your agreement before drawing conclusions.
- An agreement predating the change is not automatically enforceable either — it would still face the ordinary tests. That is a question for an attorney.
Non-solicitation is a separate question
Minnesota's prohibition is aimed at non-competes. Non-solicitation clauses are analysed separately, so a Minnesota agreement may still contain restrictions on approaching clients or staff.
General information, not legal advice
Start with the mechanics
The reasonableness test, what a radius is measured from, the access-to-care argument, and the difference between a non-compete and a non-solicitation clause are covered in the national guide to veterinary non-competes. Read that first — this page only covers what is specific to Minnesota.
Other states
Only states we have researched and dated appear here. Others are added in batches rather than generated in bulk — see the national guide for why.