As the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)’s recent rule effectively banning noncompete agreements sends shock waves across the business world, this often misunderstood employment tool is in the spotlight. Typically considered the sole province of executives, nearly 1 in 5 workers are subject to a noncompete – including some fast food workers. So are these agreements essential to protect a company’s proprietary assets, or are they a blunt tool whose utility has been overextended to create anti-competitive practices? If the noncompete ban stands, what might this mean for workers, their financial health, and our broader economy? In the opening episode of our special EMERGE Everywhere Workplace mini-series, host Matt Bahl, head of workplace financial health, dives into the details of noncompetes with University of Maryland Associate Professor Evan Starr, whose research directly informed the FTC’s rulemaking.

Note for Listeners: Since we recorded this episode, multiple conflicting lower court rulings have risen which all but guarantees noncompetes will be taken to the Supreme Court. Regardless, this episode focuses on the past, present, and potential future of noncompetes and their financial health impacts.