企業往往投注巨額資金以培訓人員及進行相關研習活動，為了保持商譽及對潛在顧客的開發，避免日後營業秘密的不當洩露，更甚者培養出一批未來的競爭者，因為目前我國並無相關法規，明確規範「離職後」競業禁止條款適用的範圍及其內容，而離職後營業秘密洩密，將對於全世界經濟，特別是高科技產業造成重大打擊，因此本文建議雇用人在僱傭契約中預先規範離職後競業禁止條款，或另外制定一份「離職後」競業禁止約定；「離職後」競業禁止條款，制定時必須要根據僱傭契約，並提供相當之對價，對「離職後」競業禁止限制的時期備又地域、種類、範圍規定必須在合理範圍內，若因此限制了受雇人之工作選擇自由、生存權，另必須給予適當的補償。 為順應世界潮流，配合 WTO會員國的精神，本文參酌美國實務上之案例、事實及爭點，使僱傭雙方預先規範「離職後」競業禁止條款，避免日後糾紛之產生。因為美國法針對「離職後」競業禁止條款上各州規定不同，本文將自理論探討及各州施行現狀加以說明，並配合我國國情，另外美國實務上對「離職後」競業禁止條款，包括承諾不引誘顧客之約定、承諾不引誘受雇人之約定、保密約定，並於制定時根據推定的事實、當事人之善意、惡意及衡平原則皆加以考量，從而提供僱傭雙方不同的思維方向與保障內涵。 最後建議本國企業於制定「離職後」競業禁止條款時，特別強調營業秘密的定義、代償措施，並應兼顧企業競爭力及員工工作的權益保障，審酌當事人心中真意及考量「誠信原則」、「公序良俗」之適用，制定合理範圍；本文探討之離職後競業禁止問題係我國最近相當受到重視的勞工法議題，從美國法的角度提出解決之道，提供學術界及實務界參考，此係本文希望達成之貢獻。

　　　　　Employee misappropriation of trade secrets in today's globalized, high-technology economy poses a real and substantial threat. This article is intended to provide a general overview of the law in the United States regarding covenants not to compete and confidentiality agreements. In order to gain a competitive advantage, businesses are often required to make a substantial investment in employee training and development, in developing and maintaining goodwill with its clients and prospective clients, and in new products and information systems. A restrictive covenant generally limits a former employee's ability to compete for a reasonable period of time. Although restrictive covenants are type of restraint of trade, the common law rule is that a post-employment restrictive covenant is enforceable if it is ancillary to an employment agreement, reasonably limited in scope and duration and designed to protect legitimate business interests, without imposing undue hardship on the employee or harm to the public. This article discusses about non-competition clauses, customer non-solicitation covenants, employee non-solicitation covenants, non-disclosure covenants, and presumption against enforcement, the "bad faith" analysis, the balancing the equities analysis, especially emphasizes the protection in "trade secrets" and "customer relationship". A covenant not to compete can generally be crafted to limit a former employee's ability to compete against his or her former employer for a reasonable period of time. U.S. courts have enforced such agreements if they are ancillary to employment, reasonably limited in scope and duration and designed to protect legitimate business interests. In short, employers in all lines of business should conside the possibility of protecting their trade secrets with restrictive covenants and non-disclosure agreements.