10.24.2024FTC Rule On Non-Competes Is Bruised But Not Yet Beaten As FTC Appeals, While NLRB Continues To Challenge Non-CompetesIn April 2024, the FTC issued a Rule declaring invalid most existing non-compete agreements and prohibiting most employers from entering into new non-compete agreements after September 3, 2024, with few exceptions. Three lawsuits were filed challenging the FTC Rule - - two in Texas and one in Philadelphia. The Philadelphia lawsuit resulted in the court’s denying a motion to stay enforcement of the Rule on July 23, 2024. Judge Hodge then set a deadline of September 20, 2024 for the plaintiff, ATS Tree Service, to file a motion for summary judgment, a deadline that was extended twice. On October 4, ATS withdrew its Complaint, thereby ending this challenge and any right to appeal.
05.13.2024FTC’s Final Rule on Non-Competes May Not be the Final WordIn a controversial move, on April 24, 2024 the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) announced that beginning September 4, 2024, it will enforce its Final Rule banning most non-compete agreements that seek to limit a worker’s ability to change jobs. The Rule also requires employers to notify those workers who have non-compete agreements that are nullified by the Rule that these agreements are no longer enforceable once the Rule takes effect; written notices must be sent no later than September 4, 2024. The exceptions to the FTC Rule are few, and extend to non-compete agreements (i) entered into with a business’s senior executives before September 4, 2024, (ii) entered into between a buyer and a seller as part of a bona fide sale of a business, or (iii) that are part of a franchisee-franchisor relationship.
04.24.2024Patrick McGovern Shares Insights "Noncompete decision: N.J. lawyers express some concern — and a lot of caution"The decision by the Federal Trade Commission to ban most noncompete agreements — and have the ruling go into effect in 120 days — certainly sent shockwaves throughout the business community Tuesday night, hours after it was released.
On Wednesday, numerous New Jersey lawyers offered the following advice: Slow down, take a minute to gain an understanding of what this really means — and understand there is little chance this will take effect in 120 days, if at all.
Lawsuits challenging the ruling are being filed.
06.27.2023New York Assembly Passes Bill to Ban Non-Compete AgreementsOn June 20, 2023, the New York State Assembly passed a bill (A1278B) to make non-compete agreements unlawful. The New York State Senate previously passed the bill’s counterpart (S3100A). The bills aim to prohibit non-compete agreements and authorize covered individuals to bring a civil action against employers alleged to have violated the bills’ provisions. The bills make clear that they would ban non-competes entered into or modified after the effective date. If signed by Governor Kathy Hochul, the bills would come into effect 30 days after being signed into law. While the business community reacted with shock and anger at the bills, the proposed bills in New York follow the nationwide trend against non-competes that we have been tracking for the past several years.
01.09.2023Federal Trade Commission Proposes Banning Noncompete ClausesOn January 5, 2023, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) proposed a radical and unprecedented rule that would prohibit employers from entering noncompete clauses with their workers. This follows the initiation of a landmark FTC enforcement action aimed at noncompete clauses and a larger crackdown on what the FTC perceives as unfair restrictions on competition.
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