Not Done Yet: FTC To Hold Workshop In 2026 Regarding Non-Competition Agreements

Key Takeaways

• FTC to revisit a national non-compete ban: The FTC will host a Jan. 27, 2026 workshop as it restarts efforts to regulate or potentially ban most non-competition agreements nationwide.
• Renewed effort follows prior rule's collapse: The workshop comes after the FTC's 2024 final rule banning non-competes was blocked in court, vacated and ultimately abandoned due to legal and administrative challenges.
• Future national standard possible: The workshop may signal the first step toward a new FTC rule, despite current non-compete enforceability continuing to vary significantly by state law.

The FTC appears poised to renew its years-long effort to address, and potentially ban, most non-competition agreements on a national level. On Jan. 27, 2026, the Federal Trade Commission will host a workshop titled, "Moving Forward: Protecting Workers from Anticompetitive Noncompete Agreements." The FTC reports that the workshop "will include public statements