Orthopedists may have more employment freedom as Non-Compete Agreements continue to evolve in the US.
While the FTC's proposed nationwide ban on non-competes was set aside by federal courts in 2024 and the agency officially abandoned its appeal in September 2025, the FTC remains active on this front. It has issued warning letters to healthcare employers and staffing companies about potentially unlawful non-competes and launched a request for information on their impacts, with comments due by November. Meanwhile, several states have advanced reforms limiting or banning these clauses for physicians, enhancing mobility and allowing you to potentially join nearby competitors without restrictions—depending on your state, contract, and specialty.
These changes aim to alleviate workforce shortages, improve patient access, and promote competition in healthcare, though employers may respond by strengthening non-solicitation or confidentiality provisions.
Here's an updated rundown of key state reforms, focusing on those effective or enacted in 2025:
Arkansas (effective August 2025): Bans non-competes for physicians in employment contracts, with exclusions for practice sales or business own...
