The Illinois General Assembly had a busy year in 2024 drafting new legislation that was signed by Governor J.B. Pritzker and took effect on January 1, 2025. The following article summarizes important legal advancements in...more
As of January 1, 2022, Illinois employers are more limited in their ability to bind employees to non-competition and non-solicitation agreements. These changes stem from a recent amendment to the Illinois Freedom to Work Act,...more
On August 16, 2021, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker signed amendments to the Illinois Freedom to Work Act (the “Act”) that will be effective on January 1, 2022 and will limit Illinois employers’ use of non-compete and...more
Non-competes and non-solicits, so-called restrictive covenants, have been at the center of a nationwide discussion for many years. On the one hand, employee-leaning constituencies have advocated for substantial restrictions...more
Benesch previously informed its clients about the significant changes made to Illinois restrictive covenants law by the Illinois legislature in the waning moments of its most recent legislative session. These changes include,...more
On August 13, 2021, Governor Pritzker signed into law a bill amending the Illinois Freedom to Work Act governing restrictive covenants and non-competition agreements. On May 30, 2021, the Illinois General Assembly passed a...more
On August 13, 2021, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed into law Senate Bill (SB) 672, an amendment to the Illinois Freedom to Work Act. While the law codifies substantive Illinois common law on restrictive covenants, it...more
The Illinois General Assembly passed a major bill in May that significantly alters how and when employers can use restrictive covenants with Illinois employees. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed the bill into law on...more
On August 13, 2021, Governor Pritzker signed a new law regulating restrictive covenants in employment agreements involving Illinois employees, to be effective January 1, 2022. The impacted restrictive covenants are (i)...more
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker is expected to sign into law SB 672 which would amend and significantly alter the Illinois Freedom to Work Act (the “Act”). Once signed into law, the Act will directly affect the enforceability...more
On the heels of the bi-partisan introduction of the Workforce Mobility Act in Congress in February 2021, on May 31, 2021, the Illinois General Assembly passed amendments to the Illinois Freedom to Work Act (the “Amendments”)...more
The Illinois General Assembly has enacted sweeping changes to the Illinois Freedom to Work Act, 820 ILCS § 90, et seq. (the “Act”), which will limit the use of covenants not to compete (“non-competes”) and covenants not to...more
As reported in prior blogs, the Illinois legislature for several months has been considering amendments to the Illinois Freedom to Work Act that apply to non-compete and non-solicitation restrictions. SmithAmundsen attorneys...more
On May 31, 2021, both Houses of the Illinois legislature unanimously passed legislation that, if signed by Governor Pritzker, will overhaul the enforceability of restrictive covenants in Illinois. The legislation1 amends the...more
The legislatures of Oregon, Nevada and Illinois recently placed additional limitations on restrictive covenants, particularly non-competition covenants. Changes to Oregon Restrictive Covenants - Effective as to...more
The Illinois General Assembly recently approved House of Representatives Amendment 1 to Senate Bill (SB) 672, which would significantly reform noncompete and nonsolicitation law in Illinois. The bill will now go to Governor...more
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is expected to soon sign into law a bill that will make significant changes to the Illinois Freedom to Work Act and affect the enforceability of employee non-competition provisions. The General...more
The Illinois Legislature recently passed a bipartisan bill, available here, that seeks to significantly amend the Illinois Freedom to Work Act (820 ILCS § 90) and impose restrictions on the use of non-competition and...more