[Update (10/16/25): Governor Newsom signed the bill into law on October 13, 2025, and it takes effect on January 1, 2026.]
California has long had the nation’s most stringent laws against restrictive covenants. On September 15, 2025, the California legislature increased the potential scope of those laws, and whether by intention or mistake, set the state on a path to change existing laws on retention bonuses for current employees.
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Recent Updates
- Spilling Secrets Podcast: Non-Competes in 2026 - FTC Signals Major Policy Shift
- Washington State Bans Almost All Noncompetes
- More Changes Ahead? Virginia May Expand Noncompete Restrictions in July 2026
- Preparing for Non-Compete Litigation: 2026 Update
- Moving Forward on Noncompetes: Key Takeaways from the Federal Trade Commission’s Noncompete Workshop