Is this right? Hairdressing

[Cockneykelly83]

I’m approaching end of maternity leave after having my twins, and I approached the Hair Salon I work at to see if I can go self employed there as I have taken on another voluntary job which means I can’t work certain days. They can’t accommodate this which is fine as they have 15+ employed stylists and barbers. so I handed my notice in. My maternity was due to finish on the 24th April but I handed my notice in on the 9th of March.

I’ve since approached the manager and his wife and asked him when I can start advertising as I have managed to get a rent a chair opportunity (self employed) to start at the beginning of May. The response was that I can’t advertise locally incase any of my clients leave the salon and follow me. I agree I won’t post In local community groups in the village I live in (as the new salon isn’t in this community anyway- it’s a different part of london), but he said that as I may have mutual friends on Facebook clients may see my advert on my Facebook and so he is concerned about me posting on my socials?? Surely I’m allowed to advertise, I have no intention of approaching the clients to tell them where I am going. I’m a bit frustrated however because I asked to stay there and they refused but now it seems I’m also being restricted to advertise my own business when I too need to create an income for myself and my family as I have 1 year old twin boys and a 5 year old girl. The salon I am going to is around 15 miles away from the one I used to work at.

AIBU if I advertise? I have no intention of approaching clients myself as I’m aware this is poaching.

It depends on the details of your contract as an employee. It's not uncommon to have noncompete clauses in contracts preventing you from immediately starting a business in the same area as your employer and taking clients with you, for obvious reasons.

Go and read your contract of employment.

What does your contract say? If you don't have a contract, then I don't think they can stop you.

I don’t have a written contract. Never signed anything, only verbal.

I don’t have a contract never signed anything everything was verbally agreed.

What does your contract say?

If its doesn't say anything about you not advertising then just do it. The fuck they going to do?

Do you have a non compete clause in your contract? It needs to be reasonable, which may include a timeframe and distance.

Fuck it then, advertise to your heart's content

Yeah definitely don’t have a written contract. Thanks. Xox

Nothing they can do if no contract precluding you from advertising.

If there is no contract signed that you agreed to these terms on then they can't prevent you advertising legally. My cousin owns a salon in a small town and hairdressers/therapists leave or join and advertise. That's how you mainly get business and build up clients in this day and age by advertising deals etc expecially when moving to a new salon and there's usually new introductory deals.