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Implied Renewal of Employment Agreements

By Jeffrey S. Klein and Nicholas J. Pappas
February 28, 2006

Employers frequently enter into employment agreements with their employees for a fixed period of time at a stated annual salary. What happens if at the end of such an agreement's term both parties continue to perform under the expired employment agreement as if the agreement were still in effect?

Perhaps the parties have negotiated but not consummated an extension or new agreement. Under these circumstances, employers might think that, because the employment agreement has ex-pired, the employment relationship converts to “employment-at-will” and thus either the employer or the employee may terminate the relationship at any time for any lawful reason.

As we discuss in this article, in a majority of states, there are certain circumstances in which a court may presume the employment agreement is automatically renewed for an additional term. In such states, courts have recognized such implied renewals and have permitted employees to sue for breach of contract based upon a theory of discharge without cause during the renewal term. We also analyze how courts have addressed the enforceability of noncompetition or arbitration agreements following termination of employment after expiration of the original agreement, but during a period when an impliedly renewed agreement is in effect. Finally, we explore several considerations for drafting employment agreements to avoid unexpected results arising from the presumption of implied renewal.

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