New York’s governor vetoed a bill days before Christmas that would have banned noncompete agreements, which restrict workers’ ability to leave their job for a role with a rival business.
Gov. Kathy Hochul, who said she tried to work with the Legislature on a “reasonable compromise” this year, called the bill “a one-size-fits-all-approach” for New York companies legitimately trying to retain top talent.
“I continue to recognize the urgent need to restrict non-compete agreements for middle-class and low-wage workers, and am open to future legislation that achieves the right balance,” she wrote in a veto letter released Saturday.
The veto is a blow to labor groups, who have long argued that the agreements hurt workers and stifle economic growth. The Federal Trade Commission had also sent a letter to Hochul in November, urging her to sign the bill and saying that the agreements can harm innovation and prevent new businesses from forming in the state.
The myth of the non-skilled worker isn’t working in their favor here.
I think everyone deserves a living wage, and the jobs can certainly be tough, but comparably speaking, do you really think these are not low skill jobs?
It’s almost certain he’s trying to stop people being lured away by more favorable terms, like better pay, benefits, or shifts, not because he thinks he’s losing skills to some other company.