To Compete or to Non-Compete: A Look Into the FTC’s Proposed Ban

On January 5, 2023, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released a proposal to ban employers from the use of non-compete agreements with their workers. The FTC’s motivation behind the proposed rule is the protection of American workers, with the regulatory agency stating that non-compete agreements restrict about one in five American workers – about 30 million people. Additionally, the agency estimated that the rule could increase wages by $250 to $296 billion a year across the economy. Since seeking public comment on the ban, the FTC’s broad non-compete proposal has been met with both support and criticism.