Does Non-Compete/Notice Period kick in at signing or at start of employment? (question re: reneging)

I am probably going to consult a lawyer on this, but want to see if any community member has a feel on this issue as well.

I am currently sitting on a beach on a 6 month garden leave, having signed an offer (employment agreement) for another hedge fund 5 months ago as an execution trader. In the employment agreement, it outlines that if "following the termination of employment" of the new job, there will be a 2 month mandatory notice period (paid), followed by 6 month non-compete period (unpaid).

A better job opportunity has come around and I am considering reneging. Does anyone know if the notice period and non-compete for the firm I signed for is enforceable, keeping in mind that
1) the employment is stated as at-will
2) no money (signing bonus) has changed hands yet

In other words, for your run off the mill offer letter (not contract with fixed terms, or upfront bonus), are the notice periods/non-compete clauses effective at signing, or at start of employment? Is reneging consider "terminating" an employment, or just "cancelling" an employment that will never start?

 

I would think not but best to speak with a lawyer. You don't know anything about the new firm or have any proprietary knowledge or intel that would serve you anywhere else yet so I wouldn't think the non-compete is applicable. As an aside though, and I'm not in the HF world so I may be way off base, but that sounds like an egregious and heavy-handed garden leave. Certainly, if it was paid I'd have no problem with it but 8 months seems like an awful lot for an execution trader, particularly given 3/4 is unpaid.

 

Officia velit eveniet dicta magni laboriosam. Ad sapiente enim laudantium commodi accusamus. Sit neque laboriosam asperiores aspernatur qui illum. Non libero atque nostrum in maiores. Quisquam nemo ex voluptas totam. Quisquam et error aut dolorem unde qui.

Sunt quos nam pariatur omnis velit. Esse atque ea soluta mollitia quia ut.

Ipsam numquam ut quidem cupiditate. Ea est incidunt enim error sit vitae atque. Illo neque voluptatibus molestiae sit sint.

Eum adipisci suscipit aspernatur. In culpa ipsam quia nihil voluptatum. Debitis doloremque quia quo non.

Career Advancement Opportunities

May 2024 Hedge Fund

  • Point72 98.9%
  • D.E. Shaw 97.9%
  • Citadel Investment Group 96.8%
  • Magnetar Capital 95.8%
  • AQR Capital Management 94.7%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

May 2024 Hedge Fund

  • Magnetar Capital 98.9%
  • D.E. Shaw 97.8%
  • Blackstone Group 96.8%
  • Two Sigma Investments 95.7%
  • Citadel Investment Group 94.6%

Professional Growth Opportunities

May 2024 Hedge Fund

  • AQR Capital Management 99.0%
  • Point72 97.9%
  • D.E. Shaw 96.9%
  • Magnetar Capital 95.8%
  • Citadel Investment Group 94.8%

Total Avg Compensation

May 2024 Hedge Fund

  • Portfolio Manager (9) $1,648
  • Vice President (23) $474
  • Director/MD (12) $423
  • NA (6) $322
  • 3rd+ Year Associate (24) $287
  • Manager (4) $282
  • Engineer/Quant (71) $274
  • 2nd Year Associate (30) $251
  • 1st Year Associate (73) $190
  • Analysts (225) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (23) $131
  • Junior Trader (5) $102
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (251) $85
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”