Connecticut § 31-50b - Noncompete agreements: Broadcast employees.

§ 31-50b. Noncompete agreements: Broadcast employees.

Sec. 31-50b. Noncompete agreements: Broadcast employees. (a) As used in this section:

(1) “Associated broadcast entities” means entities that provide reporting services to broadcast television or radio stations, including without limitation, subcontractors that provide weather, sports, traffic and other reports for broadcast or cablecast;

(2) “Broadcast employee” means any employee of a broadcast industry employer, except those employees whose services primarily include sales or management functions;

(3) “Broadcast industry employer” means the owner or operator of one or more broadcast television or radio stations, including any associated broadcast entity, but excluding cable stations or cable networks;

(4) “Broadcast television or radio station” means an entity that is owned or operated either by holding a Federal Communications Commission television or radio license for the station, or by operating a station through a local service, sales, marketing or outsourcing agreement;

(5) “Cable network” means an entity that distributes programming to two or more local cable systems;

(6) “Cable station” means an entity that produces or transmits programming to one or more local cable systems; and

(7) “Local cable system” means a cable system, as defined in 47 USC 522, as from time to time amended, operating in the state.

(b) No broadcast industry employer employment contract for the services of a broadcast employee may contain a provision requiring that such broadcast employee:

(1) Refrain from obtaining employment in a specified geographical area for a specified period of time after termination of employment with that broadcast industry employer;

(2) Disclose the terms or conditions of an offer of employment, or the existence of any such offer, from any other broadcast industry employer following the expiration of the term of the employment contract; or

(3) Agree to enter into a subsequent employment contract with the broadcast industry employer, or extend or renew the existing employment contract, upon the same terms and conditions offered by a prospective employer.

(c) Any person who is aggrieved by a violation of this section may bring a civil action in the Superior Court to recover damages, together with court costs and reasonable attorney's fees.

(d) The provisions of this section shall apply to employment contracts entered into, renewed or extended on or after July 1, 2007.

(P.A. 07-237, S. 2.)

History: P.A. 07-237 effective July 1, 2007.