The 25,000 Voices Behind the FTC’s Noncompete Ban

When the Federal Trade Commission’s near-total ban on noncompete clauses came down last week, Bloomberg’s Matt Boyle quickly scoured his social networks to see what folks were saying.?

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He soon came across a story that highlighted how noncompetes can unduly hinder those just starting out in the world of work — and yes, before you ask, he does see the value of them for senior executives (who can afford lawyers).?

But he found it striking that when the FTC solicited public comments on noncompetes over the past year, more than 25,000 of the 26,000-plus responses came out in favor of the ban, according to the commission. Here are some.?

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Quick Hits

• Chipotle told its employees not to include chicken in their own meals amid surging customer demand, but once Bloomberg reported on the move, the burrito chain relented.
• Hiring for white-collar jobs has stalled across the US, with almost 120,000 roles vanishing from cities like Chicago and San Francisco.
• Retailer Macy’s has told some of its corporate staff to get to the office twice a week — or risk getting fired.
• Bosses and staff are united in their disillusionment as working life fails to meet their expectations, Julia Hobsbawm writes in an excerpt from her new book.

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