Washington yesterday adopted a major shift in its approach to employee restrictive covenants. Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1155 (ESHB 1155), approved by the Legislature in March 2026 and signed by the Governor yesterday, eliminates the use of noncompetition agreements in employment and independent contractor relationships beginning June 30, 2027 in specified situations including notices to existing agreement holders by October
Continue Reading Governor Signs Washington’s New Noncompete Law: What Employers Should Know—and How to Prepare
Seyfarth Synopsis: On Friday, August 9, 2019, Governor J. B. Pritzker signed a wide-ranging bill that, among other things, encompasses the Workplace Transparency Act. The Act, which will impact nearly every employer in Illinois: significantly restricts inclusion of non-disclosure and non-disparagement provisions in employment agreements, separation agreements, and settlement agreements; limits an employer’s ability to “unilaterally” require certain terms (including mandatory arbitration) as a condition of employment; creates annual training and disclosure requirements to the Illinois Department of Human Rights, and establishes new civil penalties for non-compliance. The new law includes additional requirements specific to restaurants, bars, hotels, and casinos. Those requirements take effect immediately, whereas the broader employment law changes take effect January 1, 2020.