{"data":{"id":"us-ca/bpc-16600.5","jurisdiction":"us-ca","citation":"BPC § 16600.5","heading":"","body":"(a) Any contract that is void under this chapter is unenforceable regardless of where and when the contract was signed.\n(b) An employer or former employer shall not attempt to enforce a contract that is void under this chapter regardless of whether the contract was signed and the employment was maintained outside of California.\n(c) An employer shall not enter into a contract with an employee or prospective employee that includes a provision that is void under this chapter.\n(d) An employer that enters into a contract that is void under this chapter or attempts to enforce a contract that is void under this chapter commits a civil violation.\n(e) (1) An employee, former employee, or prospective employee may bring a private action to enforce this chapter for injunctive relief or the recovery of actual damages, or both.\n(2) In addition to the remedies described in paragraph (1), a prevailing employee, former employee, or prospective employee in an action based on a violation of this chapter shall be entitled to recover reasonable attorney’s fees and costs.","path":["Business and Professions Code - BPC","DIVISION 7. GENERAL BUSINESS REGULATIONS [16000. - 18107.]","PART 2. PRESERVATION AND REGULATION OF COMPETITION [16600. - 17365.]","CHAPTER 1. Contracts in Restraint of Trade [16600. - 16608.]"],"source_url":"https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zip","current_through":"2026-09-13","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T05:56:33Z","sha256":"0de2f8d0dd350889fa0b63253c41772f391faaac4116ef7cedc3bc2f77c8358a","source_id":"us-ca","stale":false,"prev":"us-ca/bpc-16600.1","next":"us-ca/bpc-16601"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}