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Employee Non-Compete and Exclusivity Agreement Colombia (Acuerdo de Exclusividad de Empleado)

Employee Non-Compete and Exclusivity Agreement Colombia (Acuerdo de Exclusividad de Empleado)

ACUERDO DE EXCLUSIVIDAD Y NO COMPETENCIA LABORAL

Celebrado conforme al CST Art. 44 y Código Civil Art. 1602

PRIMERA. — PARTES

EL EMPLEADOR:

Razón Social: [Employer Name]

NIT: [Employer NIT]

Domicilio: [Employer Address]

Representante Legal: [Employer Representative]

EL/LA TRABAJADOR/A:

Nombre: [Employee Name]

C.C.: [Employee CC]

Dirección: [Employee Address]

Cargo: [Job Title]

Fecha de inicio del contrato de trabajo: [Contract Start Date]

Las partes arriba identificadas, vinculadas por un contrato de trabajo vigente, celebran el presente Acuerdo de Exclusividad y No Competencia Laboral conforme al Artículo 44 del Código Sustantivo del Trabajo, el Artículo 1602 del Código Civil y las normas constitucionales que garantizan la libertad de trabajo (Art. 25 C.P.) y la libertad económica (Art. 333 C.P.) de la República de Colombia.

SEGUNDA. — INTERESES LEGÍTIMOS PROTEGIDOS

EL EMPLEADOR identifica los siguientes intereses legítimos que justifican las restricciones pactadas en este acuerdo:

[Protected Interests]

Nivel de acceso del/la TRABAJADOR/A: [Access Level]

Las restricciones del presente acuerdo son necesarias y proporcionadas para proteger los intereses legítimos arriba identificados, conforme al principio de proporcionalidad establecido por la Corte Constitucional en la Sentencia C-934 de 2004.

TERCERA. — EXCLUSIVIDAD DURANTE EL EMPLEO

Alcance de la exclusividad: [During Exclusivity]

Actividades permitidas: [Permitted Activities]

EL/LA TRABAJADOR/A se compromete a no realizar, directa o indirectamente, actividades de competencia desleal contra EL EMPLEADOR durante la vigencia de la relación laboral, conforme al Artículo 60 numeral 5 del CST y la Ley 256 de 1996.

CUARTA. — NO COMPETENCIA POST-EMPLEO

Duración: [Non-Compete Duration] contados a partir de la fecha de terminación del contrato de trabajo.

Ámbito geográfico: [Geographic Scope]

Actividades restringidas: [Activity Scope]

Durante el período de no competencia, EL/LA TRABAJADOR/A se abstendrá de: (a) prestar servicios laborales, profesionales o de consultoría a empresas que compitan directamente con EL EMPLEADOR en las actividades restringidas; (b) establecer, operar o participar como socio/a, accionista o directivo/a de empresas competidoras; (c) solicitar, contactar o desviar clientes del EMPLEADOR para beneficio de competidores.

QUINTA. — CONTRAPRESTACIÓN ECONÓMICA

Como contraprestación por la restricción post-empleo, EL EMPLEADOR pagará al/la TRABAJADOR/A la siguiente compensación:

Monto: [Monthly Compensation]

Forma de pago: [Payment Method]

PARÁGRAFO. — El incumplimiento del pago de la compensación por parte del EMPLEADOR durante el período de no competencia liberará automáticamente al/la TRABAJADOR/A de la restricción, conforme al principio de reciprocidad de las obligaciones (Código Civil Art. 1609).

SEXTA. — CONFIDENCIALIDAD

EL/LA TRABAJADOR/A se obliga a mantener absoluta confidencialidad sobre los secretos empresariales, información comercial, técnica, financiera y de propiedad intelectual del EMPLEADOR, conforme al Artículo 58 numeral 2 del CST, los Artículos 260 a 266 de la Decisión Andina 486 de 2000 y la Ley 256 de 1996. Esta obligación de confidencialidad es independiente de la restricción de no competencia y sobrevivirá indefinidamente respecto de los secretos empresariales.

SÉPTIMA. — INCUMPLIMIENTO Y REMEDIOS

Cláusula penal: [Penalty Amount]

Remedios disponibles: [Additional Remedies]

En caso de incumplimiento, EL EMPLEADOR podrá: (a) solicitar medidas cautelares ante el Juzgado Laboral del Circuito conforme al Artículo 590 del Código General del Proceso (Ley 1564 de 2012); (b) exigir el pago de la cláusula penal conforme a los Artículos 1592 a 1601 del Código Civil; (c) iniciar acciones de competencia desleal ante la Superintendencia de Industria y Comercio conforme a la Ley 256 de 1996.

OCTAVA. — LEY APLICABLE Y JURISDICCIÓN

El presente acuerdo se rige por el Código Sustantivo del Trabajo, el Código Civil, la Constitución Política de 1991, la Ley 256 de 1996, la Decisión Andina 486 de 2000 y demás normas aplicables de la República de Colombia. Las controversias laborales se someterán al Juzgado Laboral del Circuito competente del lugar donde se prestan o prestaron los servicios.

FIRMAS

En [Sign City], a los [Sign Date].

EL EMPLEADOR:

[Employer Name]

NIT: [Employer NIT]

Representante Legal: [Employer Representative]

Firma: _________________________

EL/LA TRABAJADOR/A:

[Employee Name]

C.C.: [Employee CC]

Firma: _________________________

TESTIGO:

Nombre: _________________________

C.C.: _________________________

Firma: _________________________

Employer / Legal Representative (Empleador / Representante Legal)

________________

Signature

Employee (Trabajador/a)

________________

Signature

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What Is a Employee Non-Compete and Exclusivity Agreement Colombia (Acuerdo de Exclusividad de Empleado)?

An Employee Non-Compete and Exclusivity Agreement Colombia (Acuerdo de Exclusividad de Empleado) is a contractual instrument governed by Código Sustantivo del Trabajo (CST) — Decreto Ley 2663 de 1950 and Decreto Ley 3743 de 1950 — Article 44, which establishes that the employment contract must be executed in good faith (buena fe) and prohibits the employer from constraining the employee's freedom to work (libertad de trabajo) beyond the terms agreed in the contract, combined with Código Civil Article 1602, which gives legally formed contracts the force of law between the parties. Under this agreement, the employee commits to dedicating professional efforts exclusively to the employer during the employment relationship and, within defined limits, refraining from competing activities after termination.

The constitutional framework for non-compete and exclusivity restrictions in Colombia is established by Constitución Política de 1991 Article 25 (right to work), Article 26 (freedom to choose a profession or occupation), and Article 333 (economic freedom and free competition). The Corte Constitucional has consistently held that post-employment non-compete clauses must be narrowly tailored and compensated to avoid violating the worker's fundamental right to work. In Sentencia C-934 de 2004, the Corte Constitucional analysed the validity of non-compete clauses under the principio de proporcionalidad (proportionality principle), requiring that restrictions be: (a) necessary to protect a legitimate employer interest (trade secrets, client relationships, specialized training), (b) limited in duration (typically no more than two years), (c) limited in geographic scope, (d) limited to the specific industry or activity, and (e) supported by adequate economic compensation (contraprestación económica).

CST Article 44 addresses the duration and effects of the cláusula de no competencia (non-compete clause), establishing that an employer and employee may agree that the employee will not engage in competing activities during the employment relationship. CST Article 58 numeral 2 reinforces this by establishing the employee's obligation not to communicate trade secrets or confidential information to third parties. CST Article 60 numeral 5 expressly prohibits the employee from engaging in concurrent employment or business activities that constitute unfair competition (competencia desleal) against the employer.

Ley 256 de 1996 (Ley de Competencia Desleal) provides the statutory framework for unfair competition claims, including: diversion of clientele (desviación de clientela under Article 8), exploitation of another's reputation (explotación de la reputación ajena under Article 15), violation of trade secrets (violación de secretos under Article 16), and inducement of breach of contract (inducción a la ruptura contractual under Article 17). The SIC has jurisdiction over unfair competition claims under Decreto 4886 de 2011 through both administrative and jurisdictional proceedings.

The Sala de Casación Laboral of the Corte Suprema de Justicia has developed jurisprudence distinguishing enforceable non-compete clauses from overly broad restrictions. In Sentencia SL4578-2019, the Court held that post-employment non-compete clauses without adequate economic compensation are unenforceable because they impose a disproportionate burden on the worker's right to earn a livelihood. The compensation must be proportional to the duration and scope of the restriction — Colombian legal doctrine suggests compensation equivalent to at least 50% of the employee's last monthly salary for each month of the non-compete period.

The Ministerio del Trabajo (MinTrabajo) oversees labour relations under CST Articles 485 through 487 and Decreto 1072 de 2015. While MinTrabajo does not directly adjudicate non-compete disputes, its inspectors may review non-compete clauses during workplace inspections and refer cases involving worker rights violations to the Juzgados Laborales del Circuito.

When Do You Need a Employee Non-Compete and Exclusivity Agreement Colombia (Acuerdo de Exclusividad de Empleado)?

An Employee Non-Compete and Exclusivity Agreement Colombia is needed whenever an employer seeks to protect legitimate business interests — trade secrets, proprietary methodologies, client relationships, and specialized training investments — by restricting an employee's ability to engage in competing activities during and after the employment relationship. CST Article 44 and CST Article 60 numeral 5 provide the statutory basis for such restrictions, subject to the constitutional limits established by the Corte Constitucional.

The agreement is required when Colombian companies hire employees for positions involving access to trade secrets (secretos empresariales) protected under Decisión Andina 486 de 2000 Articles 260 through 266 and Ley 256 de 1996 Article 16. Positions in research and development, product engineering, sales strategy, pricing, customer relationship management, and executive leadership typically justify non-compete restrictions because these roles provide access to competitively sensitive information.

A non-compete agreement is needed when employers invest significantly in specialized training (capacitación especializada) for employees. Under CST Article 22, the employer may contractually require the employee to remain with the company for a defined period following the completion of employer-funded training, or to reimburse the training costs if the employee leaves prematurely — the non-compete agreement complements this by preventing the employee from taking the acquired skills directly to a competitor.

The agreement is essential in the technology sector, where Colombian startups and technology companies organized as SAS under Ley 1258 de 2008 need to protect proprietary software, algorithms, and data analytics methodologies from being replicated by departing employees. Under Ley 23 de 1982 and Decisión Andina 351 de 1993 on copyright, and Decisión 486 on industrial property, the non-compete agreement operates alongside intellectual property protections to provide thorough coverage.

An exclusivity agreement is required when employees in the financial sector — supervised by the Superintendencia Financiera de Colombia (SFC) under Decreto 663 de 1993 — access client account information, investment strategies, and risk models. Circular Básica Jurídica de la SFC establishes confidentiality obligations for financial sector employees that are reinforced by contractual non-compete provisions.

The agreement is needed when pharmaceutical, agrochemical, and biotechnology companies hire researchers and sales representatives who develop relationships with healthcare professionals, agricultural distributors, and regulatory contacts at INVIMA and ICA. Post-employment non-compete restrictions prevent the immediate transfer of these relationships to competing companies.

What to Include in Your Employee Non-Compete and Exclusivity Agreement Colombia (Acuerdo de Exclusividad de Empleado)

A valid Employee Non-Compete and Exclusivity Agreement Colombia under CST Article 44 and Código Civil Article 1602 must contain the following essential elements to be enforceable while respecting the constitutional limits on restricting the employee's right to work under Constitución Política Articles 25, 26, and 333.

Identification of Parties: Full legal name and cédula de ciudadanía of the employee (trabajador/a). Full legal name, NIT (assigned by the DIAN), and registered address of the employer (empleador). Reference to the underlying employment contract — start date, job title (cargo), and the specific functions providing access to protected interests. Where the employer is a legal entity — SAS under Ley 1258 de 2008, SA, or Ltda. — the Certificado de Existencia y Representación Legal from the corresponding Cámara de Comercio.

Protected Interests: Specific identification of the employer's legitimate business interests justifying the restriction — trade secrets under Decisión Andina 486 Articles 260-266, proprietary methodologies, client lists, pricing strategies, product development plans, or the investment in specialized training. The Corte Constitucional's proportionality test in Sentencia C-934 de 2004 requires that the restriction be necessary to protect an identifiable and legitimate interest — generic references to "company interests" are insufficient.

During-Employment Exclusivity: The employee's commitment to dedicate professional efforts exclusively to the employer during the employment relationship, consistent with CST Article 60 numeral 5 (prohibition of unfair competition). Exceptions for specified activities — such as teaching, academic research, or board memberships at non-competing entities — should be expressly listed.

Post-Employment Non-Compete: The duration (typically six months to two years — Colombian courts are unlikely to enforce periods exceeding two years), geographic scope (specific Colombian departments, municipalities, or the national territory), and activity scope (specific industry, product lines, or roles) of the post-employment restriction. The Corte Constitucional requires that all three dimensions be reasonable and limited to what is necessary to protect the identified interest.

Economic Compensation: The monetary compensation the employer will pay for the post-employment non-compete period. The Sala de Casación Laboral of the Corte Suprema de Justicia has held that uncompensated post-employment non-compete clauses are unenforceable — the compensation must be proportional to the scope and duration of the restriction. Colombian legal doctrine suggests compensation of at least 50% of the employee's last monthly salary for each month of the non-compete period, payable in monthly instalments or as a lump sum upon termination.

Enforcement and Remedies: The remedies available to the employer in case of breach — including the right to seek medidas cautelares (injunctive relief) under Código General del Proceso Article 590, claim damages (perjuicios) under Código Civil Articles 1613-1616, and initiate unfair competition proceedings before the SIC under Ley 256 de 1996. Contractual penalty clauses (cláusula penal) under CC Articles 1592-1601 may specify a predetermined amount payable by the employee upon breach.

Confidentiality Integration: Cross-reference to confidentiality obligations protecting trade secrets under Decisión Andina 486 Articles 260-266, proprietary information under Ley 256 de 1996, and personal data under Ley 1581 de 2012. Confidentiality obligations typically survive termination indefinitely for trade secrets, while non-compete restrictions have defined expiration dates.

Forms-legal.com provides this Employee Non-Compete and Exclusivity Agreement Colombia template as a practical starting point for protecting legitimate employer interests while respecting employee rights under Colombian constitutional and labour law. Every non-compete agreement should be reviewed by a licensed abogado laboralista to confirm proportionality and enforceability under current Corte Constitucional and Corte Suprema de Justicia jurisprudence.

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@misc{formslegal-employee-non-compete-exclusivity-agreement-colombia,
  author       = {{Forms Legal}},
  title        = {Employee Non-Compete and Exclusivity Agreement Colombia (Acuerdo de Exclusividad de Empleado) (Colombia)},
  year         = {2026},
  howpublished = {\url{https://forms-legal.com/colombia/employment/hr-forms/employee-non-compete-exclusivity-agreement-colombia}},
  note         = {Free legal document template}
}

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