States continue a years-long trend in legislating workplace noncompetition agreements, for the most part placing limits on their use — some sweeping, some modest. Yet, a small but growing number adopt limits that apply to veterinarians.
* Laws adopted this year in Washington and Utah free veterinarians from the employer restrictions, which prevent employees who leave their jobs from taking new jobs within a certain distance of their former workplace for a certain period of time.
* In Washington, all workplace noncompetes, including ones already in place, will be void effective June 30, 2027. In Utah, as of May 6, new noncompetes were no longer allowed for veterinarians except those with 5 percent or greater ownership in the business.
* Five states ban noncompetes for all workers: California, Minnesota, North Dakota, Oklahoma and, as of next year, Washington. Four more do not allow noncompetes for veterinarians. They are Alabama, Maine, Maryland and Utah.
Source: VIN News Service, July 27, 2026. Link.
Veterinarians often find noncompetes to be a non-negotiable constant in the profession; a price of admission for being a vet that practices in America.”
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