FTC Chair Lina Khan wants to keep fighting non-competes

In an interview with 60 Minutes, the Federal Trade Commission head said the agency believes it has the authority to ban non-compete agreements — and will defend its case in court.

"60 Minutes" is the most successful television broadcast in history. Offering hard-hitting investigative reports, interviews, feature segments and profiles of people in the news, the broadcast began in 1968 and is still a hit, over 50 seasons later, regularly making Nielsen's Top 10.

[peace-orcp]

She's not "aggressive"; she's protecting the rights of workers to freely choose their employment.

[leoscheibelhut]

Lina Khan is an American national treasure and hero. We need more companions of the common man, woman, and child like Ms. Khan! Ms. Khan is courageous, extremely competent, and caring in her lawful support for actual citizens. She properly champions the rights and welfare of people against corporations.

[markgould]

I'm a lawyer who has had to deal with non-compete agreements forced on my clients as a condition of employment. I've successfully used state law in several cases to get these clauses invalidated. What is needed though is federal law or a federal administrative rule that prevents employers from using these agreements on widespread scale. They stifle competition and innovation. Non-compete clauses hurt the public as well as the employee. If the courts are here to serve the good of the nation they should not uphold such agreements.

[thegoldengatesound]

Lina Khan is the best hire in the history of my life. She looks at the numbers and unlike humans, they don’t lie. These babies need to be held accountable. Hopefully she keeps that role for decades

[yawoelevn]

This woman is a hero . The government deserves to give her more money to fight these companies .

[mirelasetkic]

Lina Khan is an impressive person who's doing impressive things that will benefit so many people. I really hope that she is in her position for a long time.

[pawpkitty]

Non compete clauses make it impossible for us to fight for higher wages and better benefits.

Outlaw these non-competes for good

[awilliams]

If you are a government employee and CEO doesn't like you, that means you are doing a good job. Competition is good for consumers and the country overall.

[FauxFoe]

I had to sign a non-compete when I was a window cleaner ffs. There were only two companies to work for at the time but starting your own window cleaning business was pretty cheap, except now I wasn't allowed to do that. It's predatory because where else are people in this field supposed to go, McDonald's? It's absolutely crooked and harmful to the economy and workers.

[mrsdsparky]

I disliked the question “are you willing to risk the authority of the agency in court”—what is the purpose of saving it if it is NOT being used to protect American citizens? Chairman Khan is doing exactly what she should be with her agency and her authority.

[avivaleh]

Thank you, Lena! Please keep fighting. Competition is core to free market values.

[threeofeight]

Speak softly and carry a big stick Lina!!!

[anniesshenanigans]

They need to push this. I worked for a company in 2022 and cannot work in the 'competing' industry for two more years!! And the 'broad strokes' they use is what is messing with the average worker. For instance, the company I worked for I was not getting any benefits because it was a small startup. AND the partners took most of the 'close to home' jobs, leaving me to get the outliers and random one offs. So I did much more travel and last minute things. Unpredictable. So I decided to apply with a manufacturer that did the same type of thing, but with the brand new systems. Even though the details of the systems were completely different, they considered the non compete valid. Even my old boss said that it was not valid for that transition.. So here I am doing something else for the next two years unless they get this sorted out.

[johnm]

Hooray for the FTC!!!!
For far too long, the tables have been tilted toward the direction of corporations and their heavy-handed chief legal officials, otherwise known as Chief Legal Counsel or General Counsel.

Gotta wonder why lawmakers in Congress never attempted to even remotely address this systemic problem. Perhaps the lobbyists that corporate America has engaged has far too much sway over lawmakers.

[fbhyehy]

Tech flourishes in California because of the ban on noncompete.

[crystalclink]

Great interview. I watched this last night.

[andresmattos]

Lina is the Robin Hood of modern times, trying to put a brake to corporate criminal greed.

[BruderAdrian]

I'm a Linaberal. It's incredibly great to see a young brown women making impactful meaningful changes and representating/inspiring, the next generation of young girls all over the country.

[angelsummertimecuteface]

Well done Lina❣️❣️This has completely improved the field of speech-language pathology! As children are often put on year long waitlists and go without services (unable to communicate to familiar family and peers). Companies were exploiting SLPs and families.

[NC-qcwd]

President Woodrow Wilson signed the Federal Trade Commission Act into law to address the problem of monopoly and trusts – large, powerful business conglomerates, and he was a Democrat. Mrs. Lina Khan knows what she is doing.