In 2022, Illinois significantly restricted the use of non-competition agreements. The new Illinois law, the Freedom to Work Act, restricted the use of non-competition agreements (aka “covenants not to compete”) and other related agreements in several ways. Notably, the Act prohibited non-competition agreements for workers making less than $75,000 (adjusted upwards every five years), prohibited non-solicitation agreements for workers making less than $45,000 (again, adjusted every five years), required certain notices to accompany non-competition and non-solicitation agreements, and restricted the use of such agreements for many COVID-related layoffs and for most construction workers and for public workers or educators covered
