In a significant legal development, a Texas federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction against the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) rule that bans noncompete agreements. This ruling is in response to a challenge by tax preparation company Ryan LLC and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The court’s decision puts a temporary hold on the rule

On Friday, July 9, 2021, President Biden issued a sweeping executive order that asked the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) to develop new regulations that ban or limit noncompete agreements.

The request has no immediate impact on existing noncompete agreements, but employers should expect new regulations in the coming months.

In the meantime, many questions remain

doctorContinuing my review of new employment-related bills is a measure that limits the use of non-compete agreements for doctors.

Anyone who tracks bills knows that the name on the bill sometimes doesn’t match the content. Senate Bill 351 entitled “AN ACT CONCERNING MATTERS AFFECTING PHYSICIANS AND HOSPITALS” is a good case in point.

Seems innocuous

Back in June, I talked about the standard that courts will follow in deciding whether or not to enforce a non-compete agreement between an employer and an employee.  (Go read it here first.)

But many employers want to know something more straightforward: How long can I make the restrictive covenant in my agreement; in