For companies in Florida who operate in the food and beverage industry, protecting product recipes is imperative. Should an employee who had access to these recipes leave to work for a competitor, the company may wish to take steps to ensure its secrets are protected in the process. A brewery in another state has filed a lawsuit against a former employee, claiming that he violated his noncompete agreement upon accepting a position with a rival business.

Toppling Goliath Brewing Company asserts that the man previously held a position as the head brewer at the company. Upon being hired, Goliath claims the man signed a contract, stating that he would not accept a position with a rival company within a set distance for up to two years should he ever decide to resign. However, the company asserts that he violated this agreement when he was hired at Thew Brewery.

Goliath also says that Thew was aware of the man's noncompete agreement, but chose to hire him on as head brewer anyway. The company is reportedly seeking to prevent him from working for Thew for a set time period, and is also seeking to recover an unspecified amount in damages. Although Thew is also named in the lawsuit, the company reportedly denies any wrongdoing.

When a business believes that a noncompete agreement has been violated, it may wish to take steps to protect company interests. Since similar matters can be complex in nature, a person could benefit from consulting with an experienced attorney early in the process. An attorney can provide a client in Florida with guidance on all available legal avenues and provide advice on the best course of action with which to proceed.