Noncompete agreements have long been a discussion topic in the brewing industry, even before a series of lawsuits over the past two years. Now they’re national news, after the U.S. Federal Trade Commission last week issued its expected final rule banning noncompetes across the country. (Five states had already banned them.)
The announcement is seismic because an estimated 20 percent of U.S. workers were subject to noncompetes, according to government data. The FTC says their elimination will lead to new business formation, higher worker wages, and lower health-care costs while spurring innovation.