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Non-Compete Laws in Rhode Island

Rhode Island bars non-competes for nonexempt (overtime-eligible) employees, student interns, workers 18 or younger and low-wage employees earning no more than 250% of the federal poverty level.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Rhode Island at a glance

Status
Restricted by statute
The statutory bar covers nonexempt employees, student interns and short-term student workers, workers 18 or younger and low-wage employees.
Enforceable against employees
Only with conditions
Salary threshold
Above 250% of federal poverty level
Low-wage employees, earning no more than 250% of the HHS federal poverty guideline for individuals, cannot be bound.

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Rhode Island

Are employee non-compete agreements banned, restricted or enforceable in Rhode Island?

Status in Rhode Island: Restricted by statute. The statutory bar covers nonexempt employees, student interns and short-term student workers, workers 18 or younger and low-wage employees.

Can an employer enforce a non-compete against an employee in Rhode Island?

Only with conditions. Enforceable against employees in Rhode Island: only with conditions.

Is there a minimum salary for a non-compete to be enforceable in Rhode Island?

Salary threshold in Rhode Island: Above 250% of federal poverty level. Low-wage employees, earning no more than 250% of the HHS federal poverty guideline for individuals, cannot be bound.

Where do the Rhode Island non-compete laws come from?

The rules above come from R.I. Gen. Laws 28-59-3 and R.I. Gen. Laws 28-59-2. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

What this means in practice

Read the restriction closely before signing. Note how long it lasts, the area it covers, which activities it bars and which state's law the contract says applies. A choice-of-law clause does not always control, because some states refuse to apply another state's law to their own residents or workers.

Salary thresholds are often adjusted every year for inflation. If a state uses a threshold, check the figure for the year the agreement was signed or is being enforced, and how the statute defines earnings.

A non-compete is different from a non-solicitation or confidentiality agreement. Many states that limit non-competes still allow narrower clauses that protect trade secrets or customer lists. An employment lawyer can explain how the rules apply to a specific agreement.

General information, not legal advice. Laws change, and cities can add their own rules, so check the current statute before you rely on it.