To continue getting breaking news and the full stories from The Boston Globe, subscribe today.

The Boston Globe

Editorials

Boston.com

Editorial

Massachusetts should ease up protecting ‘noncompete’ clauses

  October 30, 2011

One measure of economic security is how hard it is for workers to pick up a new job after losing their current ones. And there is strong evidence that Massachusetts is making it harder than necessary. A legal dispute involving a former salesman for Boston Beer Co. sheds new light on a long-standing problem for workers in competitive industries: The Commonwealth’s willingness to enforce “noncompete’’ clauses in employment contracts can impede workers’ ability to find new jobs.

Stay with the story. Get full access to BostonGlobe.com for just 99¢

Unlimited access to BostonGlobe.com for only 99¢ for the first 4 weeks. You can cancel at any time.

  • The FULL story all day: Enjoy all of the high-quality, in-depth journalism in the print edition of the Boston Globe — plus breaking news that's updated 24/7.
  • A truly reader-friendly format: It's online news that looks and reads just like the newspaper — uncluttered, uninterrupted.
  • Breakthrough technology: The responsive design automatically adapts content so it always reads perfectly on the digital device of your choice.
Get started today

Free access for home delivery subscribers.

Just need to link your home delivery account; one easy step.

Link my home delivery account

BostonGlobe.comSubscriber Log In

Contact us for help