Overview

• U.S. District Judge Kelley Hodge ruled against ATS Tree Services' bid to block the FTC rule.
• The decision affirms the FTC's power to regulate practices deemed anticompetitive.
• Approximately 20% of U.S. workers are bound by noncompete agreements.
• A separate ruling in Texas temporarily blocked the FTC from enforcing the rule against certain business groups.
• The Biden administration views the ban as a measure to enhance labor market competition.