As Connecticut legislators and the Federal Trade Commission both consider limiting non-compete clauses, workers are sharing their stories about these agreements, which can establish restrictions on where and when they can take a new job within their same field.

One 32-year-old hair stylist who has worked in Greenwich for 12 years was required to sign a non-compete agreement and has been unable to start a business because of the covenant, despite dealing with the salon’s alleged “poor management and lack of leadership.”

Others’ stories submitted for public comment to the FTC offered a window into what these contracts mean for the health care sector in Connecticut, as either a working physician or a patient trying to receive care. One physician said they ran into trouble opening up a practice after working for a major health system in the state, while a Massachusetts-based surgeon who also works at a hospital in Connecticut said he is locked into a contract that does not allow him to compete within 15 miles of the area.

About half of private-sector businesses require workers to sign a non-compete agreement, which affects anywhere from 36 million to 60 million employees, according to 2019 data from the Economic Policy Institute. Polling shows a majority of Americans support largely banning the practice.

Critics argue that they stifle competition in the workforce and keep wages low for workers who have little to no leverage to negotiate or leave for a higher salary.

“I’m not...

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