{"id":12564,"date":"2026-03-25T14:31:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-25T19:31:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.brightmine.com\/us\/?post_type=resources&p=12564"},"modified":"2026-06-24T04:31:35","modified_gmt":"2026-06-24T09:31:35","slug":"washington-state-bans-all-noncompetes-voids-existing-agreements","status":"publish","type":"resources","link":"https:\/\/www.brightmine.com\/us\/resources\/hr-compliance\/state-compliance\/washington-state-bans-all-noncompetes-voids-existing-agreements\/","title":{"rendered":"Washington State bans all noncompetes, voids existing agreements"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Written by: <\/p>\n\n\n

Robert Teachout<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Share<\/p>\n\n\n

<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Washington has become the fifth state to ban the use of all employee noncompetition agreements, joining California, Minnesota, North Dakota and Oklahoma. Effective June 30, 2027, all noncompetes – regardless of when they were entered – are void and unenforceable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Signed into law earlier this week, H.B. 1155<\/a> amends a 2019 state law that currently bans the use of noncompetition covenants only for lower-wage earners. When the amendments take effect in 2027, the law will ban noncompetition agreements for all<\/em> Washington-based workers and businesses. The amendments also will expand the definition of noncompete agreements (which must be broadly construed) to include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n