FTC Launches Task Force to Protect Competition in Labor Markets, Scrutinize Noncompete Agreements
On February 26, 2025, Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson directed the agency to form a new “Joint Labor Task Force” that will focus on enforcing federal antitrust laws to protect competition in labor markets and consumer protection, including targeting unreasonable noncompete agreements, no-poach, non-solicitation, and no-hire agreements, and unlawful use of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) metrics. Quick Hits The FTC is establishing a task force aimed at enforcing antitrust laws in labor markets, including where unreasonable noncompete agreements and other restrictive employment practices implicate antitrust issues. Aligning with the Trump administration’s “ populist” agenda, the task force is focused on easing “restraints both on the competition side and the consumer protection side that make it harder for Americans to earn a living.” Notwithstanding this agenda, it is very unlikely that the FTC will attempt to solve these issues through the rulemaking ...