Compliance Stuff

Overview State legislatures continue to reevaluate the role of employee non-compete agreements, with 2026 shaping up to be another consequential year in the ongoing movement to restrict or eliminate their use. Current pending legislation reflects two dominant strategies: (1) bans on non-compete agreements either entirely or limited to specific industries and (2) increasing wage thresholds that condition enforceability on exceptionally high compensation levels. This alert only focuses on legislation that proposes an outright ban to non-compete agreements or imposes new or increased wage thresholds. Although details vary significantly by jurisdiction, the cumulative effect of these legislative efforts is a steady contraction of the circumstances in which non-competes are likely to remain enforceable. Further, the patchwork of state-level enforcement means employers operating across multiple states must closely track these developments and continually reassess their approach to restrictiv...

Employers in Ohio may soon need to reexamine employment agreements and internal policies if a proposed non-compete ban becomes law . A state Senate bill was recently introduced aiming to prohibit agreements that restrict a worker’s ability to engage in a lawful profession or business after their employment ends . What do employers in Ohio need to know as state lawmakers consider this significant shift? Here are the four key aspects that impact the workplace.  1 . Expansive Definitions The bill sets forth broad definitions designed to capture nearly all employment relationships: Employer:   Any person or entity hiring or contracting with a worker. Worker:  T his term would broadly include employees, independent contractors, interns, volunteers, apprentices, sole proprietors, and individuals providing services through a business or nonprofit organization. If passed, this bill would require a review of all types of work relationships to ensure that agreements — whether with ...