>The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has vigorously opposed the ban, saying that noncompetes can benefit ... employees, by giving employers greater incentive to invest in workforce training and development.

How do people feel about this? Is it BS?

It is utterly bullshit.

It is generally best to assume that anything the The U.S. Chamber of Commerce supports is harmful to employees. If it isn't, it would be supported by other more reputable organisations too.

[dupe]

More discussion on the official release: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40136010

Is the US leading the EU in worker rights now?

Also surprised by this. Will the eu follow suit?

There has been talk of it in the UK of limiting them to 3 months when time allows: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/645e27612c06a...

> The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has vigorously opposed the ban, saying that noncompetes can benefit both companies, by allowing them to better guard trade secrets, and employees, by giving employers greater incentive to invest in workforce training and development.

Sounds remarkably similar to two-centuries-prior statements about the benefits of [American negro] slavery and perils of abolition, doesn't it?

Fortunately it seems the commissioners were more moved by the testimony of employees and former employees.

> These accounts, she said, "pointed to the basic reality of how robbing people of their economic liberty also robs them of all sorts of other freedoms."

That really is the bottom line, and always has been, but better late than never.