Does the restriction on operating a Competitive Business for City Publications apply to the franchisee's sales staff?
City_Publications Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
agers and the spouses of each of the foregoing sign a like restrictive covenant which shall protect both Franchisor and Franchisee. Said covenants shall remain on file at the offices of Franchisee and are subject to audit or review as otherwise set forth herein.
A. Restriction During Term of Agreement
Franchisee covenants that, except as otherwise approved in writing by Franchisor, neither Franchisee nor any partner(s), officer(s), director(s), member(s), executives, professional staff or sales staff or the spouses of any of the foregoing shall, during the term hereof, either directly or indirectly, for itself or through, on behalf of or in conjunction with, any person, persons, partnership, corporation, limited liability company or other entity:
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- Own an interest in, manage, operate, be employed, in a sales or management capacity, by, or act as a consultant to any Competitive Business anywhere;
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- Initiate any action to hire, or attempt to hire for any other employer, any person who is employed by Franchisor or employed by any other franchisee of the CITY PUBLICATIONS System, or induce any such person to leave his employment with Franchisor or any other franchisee in order to work for any other employer, whether or not the person's employment with the business is pursuant to a written agreement or is at will; or
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- Divert business of customers of the Franchised Business or other Franchisor or franchisee-owned CITY PUBLICATIONS Businesses to any Competitive Business.
B. Restriction After Termination
Franchisee covenants that, except as otherwise approved in writing by Franchisor, neither Franchisee nor any partner(s), officer(s), director(s), member(s), executives, or professional staff or sales staff or their spouses of any of the foregoing shall for a period of two (2) years after the expiration or termination of this Agreement regardless of the cause, either directly or indirectly, for itself or through, on behalf of or in conjunction with, any person, persons, partnership, corporation, limited liability company or other entity:
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- Own an interest in, manage, operate, be employed, in a sales or management capacity, by, or act as a consultant to any Competitive Business anywhere within the Exclusive Territory granted to Franchisee, or within a radius of twenty-five (25) miles of any other Franchisor or franchisee-owned CITY PUBLICATIONS Business;
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- Initiate any action to hire, or attempt to hire for any other employer, any person who is employed by Franchisor or employed by any other franchisee of the CITY PUBLICATIONS System, or induce any such person to leave his employment with Franchisor or any other franchisee in order to work for any other employer, whether or not the person's employment with the business is pursuant to a written agreement or is at will; or
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- Solicit business from customers of Franchisee's former CITY PUBLICATIONS business or other Franchisor or franchisee-owned CITY PUBLICATIONS Businesses.
C. Reasonableness of Restrictions
Franchisee acknowledges that the restrictive covenants contained in Section 17 are essential elements of this Agreement
and that without their inclusion, Franchisor would not have entered into this Agreement. Franchisee agrees that each of the terms set forth herein, including the restrictive covenants, is fair and reasonable, and are reasonably required for the protection of Franchisor and the Franchise System.
**D.
Source: Item 23 — RECEIPT (FDD pages 39–129)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to City Publications' 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the restriction on operating a Competitive Business applies to the franchisee's sales staff both during the term of the agreement and for a period of two years after termination. During the term of the agreement, neither the franchisee nor their sales staff can own an interest in, manage, operate, or be employed by a Competitive Business. They are also prohibited from hiring or attempting to hire anyone employed by City Publications or its franchisees.
After the agreement terminates, the franchisee and their sales staff are restricted for two years from owning, managing, operating, or being employed by a Competitive Business within the franchisee's exclusive territory or within 25 miles of any other City Publications business. They are also prohibited from soliciting business from customers of the former City Publications business or other City Publications businesses.
City Publications considers these restrictions essential for protecting the franchise system. The FDD states that City Publications would not enter into the agreement without these covenants. The franchisee acknowledges that these terms, including the restrictive covenants, are fair, reasonable, and necessary to protect City Publications and the franchise system.
If the franchisee or their sales staff breaches these covenants, City Publications is entitled to seek immediate equitable remedies, including restraining orders and injunctions, in addition to other legal or equitable remedies, due to the irreparable harm such a breach would cause.