On Jan. 5, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a proposed final rule that would result in a ban of noncompete agreements, and would require employers to rescind existing noncompete agreements. The public comment period for the rule terminated on April 19, but the FTC has acted aggressively to ban noncompetes in the meantime. The FTC has filed complaints against companies that use noncompete agreements, resulting in consent orders that accomplish the rescission of hundreds of existing noncompete agreements. The U.S. Department of Labor, the National Labor Relations Board and even the courts have also taken steps to deter the use of noncompete agreements.