The order is designed to improve workers' leverage in the economy, increase their chances of employment and generate more competition among U.S. employers, a person familiar with the order said Wednesday, insisting on anonymity ahead of its release. A 2019 analysis by the liberal Economic Policy Institute estimated that 36 million to 60 million workers could be subject to noncompete agreements. The order also seeks to ban “unnecessary" occupational licensing that can hurt the earning power of military spouses, skilled immigrants and former prisoners. This effort builds on work begun in 2015 by the Obama administration to get states to reduce the burdens from their licensing requirements. The order will also toughen guidance to the FTC and the Justice Department to prevent employers from sharing wage and benefits data with each other so they can suppress worker incomes.

Source: ABC News July 07, 2021 13:30 UTC