---
title: "The Chicago Tribune: ‘Non-Poaching’ Clauses Targeted"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/6e9871a0-d584-4d67-95f5-02bd9516ca43
source: "1851 Franchise"
original_url: https://1851franchise.com/the-chicago-tribune-non-poaching-clauses-targeted-2705816
category: "Regulation"
topics: ["Regulation & legal"]
published: 2018-03-06T18:13:01.000Z
modified: 2026-11-01T02:02:45.755Z
image: https://newimage.1851franchise.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality=85,format=webp,width=1280,height=720/story/featureImage/e4b0f72f83e938a2712210f1253d5ee69140.jpg
---

# The Chicago Tribune: ‘Non-Poaching’ Clauses Targeted

**TL;DR:** The Justice Department and Democratic lawmakers are targeting non-poaching agreements in large franchises, with up to 56% of them including such clauses. Democratic Senators Cory Booker and Elizabeth Warren have introduced legislation to make these agreements illegal.

*originally published in 1851 Franchise on 2018-03-06. [Read the original](https://1851franchise.com/the-chicago-tribune-non-poaching-clauses-targeted-2705816).*

## Story

Non-poaching agreements are coming back into the spotlight thanks to both the Justice Department and Democratic lawmakers. As detailed in a recent article by the Chicago Tribune , these non-poaching agreements prevent brands from hiring people from other locations because of agreements that are signed with the corporate locations. While specific non-poaching agreements vary, they typically limit a franchise owners’ ability to hire workers from other units within the franchise’s entire system.

The Chicago Tribune notes that non-poaching clauses are now included in up to 56 percent of large franchises, which is up about 20 percent from two decades ago. These agreements have long been opposed by worker advocacy groups, but now, they’re being publicly opposed in Congress. Democratic Senators Cory Booker and Elizabeth Warren have introduced the first legislation that would make these agreements illegal. The Department of Justice is also reviewing the legality of these agreements, arguing that some violate the federal antitrust law.

The franchising industry is defending the use of non-compete clauses. International Franchise Association spokesperson Matthew Haller said, “Franchising has generated more wealth and opportunities for employees to move up the income ladder than any other business model in our nation’s history. Provisions in franchise agreements allow franchise owners to protect the significant financial investments they make to train employees the skills and methods necessary to deliver the product or service to customers.”

Cassie has over five years of digital and traditional media experience. She joined NLA after working as a television news producer in both Milwaukee and Chicago, and now specializes in aligning strategies across the board for her clients, ultimately building buzz and telling compelling stories through content marketing, social media, digital campaigns and traditional PR. Cassie has a Bachelor of Arts in Broadcast and Electronic Communications from Marquette University.

In her spare time, Cassie enjoys traveling and exploring what new cities have to offer in addition to spending time with her friends and family.

## Entities

- 1851 Franchise (publication)
- General (sector)
- International Franchise Association (company)
- Matt Haller (person)
- franchise regulation (topic)
- Department of Justice (regulator)
- antitrust law (topic)
- Justice Department (regulator)
- non-poaching clauses (topic)
- worker advocacy (topic)

---
Originally reported by 1851 Franchise (https://1851franchise.com/the-chicago-tribune-non-poaching-clauses-targeted-2705816). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/6e9871a0-d584-4d67-95f5-02bd9516ca43).