Is it legal to offer a departing independent contractor a severance bonus in exchange for a non-compete, and how does it differ from W2 rules?
Download run
Fan-out diagram
The searches the AI actually ran for this prompt.
SEED QUERY
Is it legal to offer a departing independent contractor a severance bonus in exchange for a non-compete, and how does it differ from W2 rules?
3 real searches · 1 real-search pass
Texas noncompete independent contractor severance payment consideration Texas Business Commerce Code 15.50 2026Google ↗
OBSERVEDComparison
FTC noncompete rule current status vacated 2025 2026 officialGoogle ↗
OBSERVEDConsequence
state noncompete laws independent contractors employees severance consideration 2026Google ↗
OBSERVEDConsequence
Badge and edge weight = share of passes that produced the query. Hover a query for its intent and routing format.
Query classes
Google's semantic query class for every sub-query: what kind of answer each search is after, simulated vs real.
ChatGPT real searches (3)
Classes come from the query-classifier (a local Laya model). 3 of 3 calls are low-confidence (under 50%) — hover a query in the table to see its confidence.
Searches and sources
ChatGPT3 real searches · gpt-6
Texas noncompete independent contractor severance payment consideration Texas Business Commerce Code 15.50 2026 Google ↗
FTC noncompete rule current status vacated 2025 2026 official Google ↗
state noncompete laws independent contractors employees severance consideration 2026 Google ↗
- Texas Business & Commerce Code Section 15.50 (2025) - Criteria for Enforceability of Covenants Not to Compete :: 2025 Texas Statutes :: U.S. Codes and Statutes :: U.S. Law :: Justia · law.justia.com
- BUSINESS AND COMMERCE CODE CHAPTER 15. MONOPOLIES, TRUSTS AND CONSPIRACIES IN RESTRAINT OF TRADE · tcss.legis.texas.gov
- ALEX SHESHUNOFF MANAGEMENT SERVICES v. JOHNSON (2006) · caselaw.findlaw.com
- Marsh USA Inc., et al. v. Cook :: 2011 :: Supreme Court of Texas Decisions :: Texas Case Law :: Texas Law :: U.S. Law :: Justia · law.justia.com
- Noncompete Rule · ftc.gov
- reginfo.gov · reginfo.gov
- Noncompete · ftc.gov
- Texas Constitution and Statutes · statutes.capitol.texas.gov
- Conflict of Interest, Trade Secrets, Non-Competition Agreements · efte.twc.texas.gov
Queries
3 queries · click a column to sort
| Query / type | Search | Intent | Query class | Routing format | Cluster | Freq ↓ | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Texas noncompete independent contractor severance payment consideration Texas Business Commerce Code 15.50 2026 OBSERVED | Google ↗ AI Mode ↗ | — | Comparison | — | — | 1x of 1 | |
FTC noncompete rule current status vacated 2025 2026 official OBSERVED | Google ↗ AI Mode ↗ | — | Consequence | — | — | 1x of 1 | |
state noncompete laws independent contractors employees severance consideration 2026 OBSERVED | Google ↗ AI Mode ↗ | — | Consequence | — | — | 1x of 1 |