Democratic Senators Urge Pandemic Crackdown on Noncompete Pacts

Two Democratic senators want the Federal Trade Commission to take emergency action to limit employers’ enforcement of noncompete agreements during and after the Covid-19 pandemic, saying the public health emergency has “exacerbated” problems with such arrangements.

Sens. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) also faulted the FTC for not advancing a rulemaking following a January workshop held to consider a possible rule restricting use of noncompete agreements, which hinder a worker’s ability to find employment in a particular industry or geographic market.

Allowing enforcement of such contracts to continue during the pandemic creates additional challenges for workers in a ...