Is this the beginning of the end of non-compete agreements in the food industries?
One out of every five employees at private, for-profit companies is bound by a non-compete agreement—a controversial clause in hiring contracts that restricts a worker’s ability to work for a rival business after they leave. One sector where the practice is notably prevalent? Food preparation and services. From brewers and chefs to Jimmy John’s sandwich assemblers, workers throughout food industries find themselves locked into non-compete agreements, often at the expense of their ability to find better jobs or start their own businesses. For The New York Times, one opinion writer breaks down how these provisions work, and the growing, bipartisan push to rein them in.
