Employment Act (Chapter 91): Primary legislation governing employment relationships in Singapore, providing the basic framework within which non-compete clauses must operate, although NCAs are not specifically regulated under this Act
Common Law Principles: Legal principles including reasonableness doctrine, legitimate business interests protection, and public policy considerations that govern the enforceability of non-compete agreements
Contract Act (Chapter 53): Singapore contract law framework governing the formation and enforcement of contracts, including requirements for valid contracts and consideration principles
Reasonableness Test Requirements: Legal requirement that non-compete restrictions must be reasonable in terms of duration, geographical scope, and scope of prohibited activities to be enforceable
Legitimate Business Interests: Protected interests that justify non-compete restrictions including trade secrets, confidential information, customer relationships, and intellectual property
Competition Act (Chapter 50B): Legislation ensuring that contractual restrictions do not create unfair market conditions or anti-competitive practices
Constitutional Rights Consideration: Requirement to balance employer's interests with employee's constitutional right to work and earn a living
Software Industry Specific Considerations: Special considerations for software development including distinction between technical knowledge vs general skills, and open source considerations
Enforcement Criteria: Singapore courts' requirements for enforcing NCAs: reasonable scope, necessary protection of legitimate interests, compliance with public policy, and valid consideration
