Short answer
Restrictive covenant enquiries should identify the contract clause, employment status, role, clients, confidential information, new work, correspondence and any threatened injunction or deadline. Legal4U cannot decide whether a covenant is enforceable.
Quick checklist
Start with these
Collect Contract And Role Records
Save the signed contract, staff handbook, variation letters, promotion documents, settlement agreement if any, job description, bonus or commission terms and leaving correspondence. Identify which clauses mention competition, clients, staff, suppliers or confidential information.
- signed contract
- restrictive clause
- job description
- variation letter
- leaving correspondence
Map New Work And Information Issues
Prepare a factual note of the new job or business, start date, location, client overlap, supplier contact, copied files, devices, handover records and what confidential information was accessed or returned. Keep assumptions separate from documents.
- new role
- client overlap
- device return
- handover record
- confidential information
Flag Threats, Undertakings And Timing
Tell Legal4U about letters before action, proposed undertakings, injunction threats, settlement discussions, tribunal overlap or urgent hearing dates. An employment or commercial disputes specialist must advise on enforceability, evidence and response wording.
- letter before action
- undertakings
- injunction threat
- hearing date
- settlement discussion
General information only for England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland need separate content checks.
Content governance
Editorial and source information
- Author
- Legal4U Editorial Team
- Professional review status
- Pending. Employment-law solicitor, barrister or regulated workplace-rights specialist review required before publication as legal guidance.
- Jurisdiction
- England and Wales
- Date published
- 1 September 2026
- Regulatory status
- Legal4U is a legal enquiry intake and professional matching platform, not a law firm.
- Sources
-
- Terms restricting a worker's actions Acas. Checked 8 September 2026.
- Trust, confidence and fidelity Acas. Checked 8 September 2026.
- Editorial policy
- Legal4U guides are written to help users prepare structured enquiries. The professional-review status and reviewer details are shown separately on each guide.
- Correction process
- Corrections or update requests can be sent through the Legal4U contact page for editorial review.
- Information and advice
- This page is general information only and is not legal advice. Legal advice is provided only by an authorised professional or firm after they accept instructions.
Ask For Legal Help
Legal4U helps clients request legal help through a suitable Legal professional. The information on this page is general information only, not legal advice about your individual circumstances.
If your matter is urgent, include hearing dates, court deadlines, orders and any documents you already have when you submit your enquiry.
