Why China Supreme Court Agree with Resigned Employees Establishing Competing Businesses?

(By Luo Yanjie) Abstract: The experience an employee gains throughout the course of his employment is regarded as a personal right under the law, and even though an employer may spend a great deal of time and money cultivating the employee and improving their skill set, if there was no noncompete agreement entered into prior to this, the employer will usually not be able to impede or stop a resigned employee from starting another business to compete with his or her previous employer.

For most companies, talent is considered its most valuable asset. With the development of the economy, market competition grows ever more fierce, and many employers find themselves troubled at the prospect of a number of employees “job hopping” to competitors, bringing the benefit of the employers’ training, experience and expertise with them. The case introduced herein is a typical case in which the employee was not bound by a noncompete, nondisclosure, or similar agreement. Facing stiff competition, many employers file suit on the basis of unfair competition, and yet, due to lacking substantial evidence, many employers end up failing in bringing a successful case.

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The Latest Laws and Regulations of July, I

I.  From 1st of August, 2012, Export Enterprises won’t be Required to Go through the Formalities of Collection, Verification, Writing-off of Export Proceeds in Foreign Exchange

The State Administration of Foreign Exchange, the General Administration of Customs and the State Administration of Taxation jointly issued the Announcement on Reform concerning to Foreign Exchange Administration System of Goods Trade, and the reform will be implemented nationally on 1st of August, 2012. Reportedly, from 1st of December, 2012, the reform has been piloted in 7 provinces such as Jiangsu, Shandong, etc.. The reform covers the administration method including the cancellation of paper of collection, verification and writing-off of export proceeds, no need to go through the formalities of collection, verification and writing-off of export proceeds; implementation of dynamic sort management referring to classifying the enterprises into 3 sorts according to the compliance and the consistency of export and import of goods; and adjustment to declaration process for export, etc.. Meanwhile, the State Administration of Foreign Exchange has delivered new laws and regulations for administration of foreign exchange of goods trade to the local departments of foreign exchange and banks authorized to deal with foreign exchanges, accordingly the old documents are abolished.

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Shall It be Companies’ Obligation to Pay Employees Confidentiality Remuneration by China Laws?

Recently, Bridge IP Law Commentary is consulted by some clients about whether it is necessary for an enterprise to pay its employees, who is subject to confidentiality obligation, the confidentiality fee. Today, we will answer such questions combining with the current laws and regulations as well as the practices. (the image above is the cover of the Guidelines of Trade Secret to Companies by DeBund Law Offices)

I. There only regulates the payment for the competition restriction but no fees for confidentiality  

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