Impact | Business Risk Management Blog

The Illinois Freedom to Work Act (“Act”) became effective on January 1, 2022. The Act prohibits employers from entering into covenants not to compete and covenants not to solicit with certain types of employees. Specifically, an employer cannot enter into a covenant not to complete with an employee unless that employee’s actual or expected annualized rate of earnings exceeded $75,000 per year. Similarly, an employer cannot enter into a covenant not to solicit with an employee unless that employee’s actual or expected annualized rate of earnings exceeded $45,000 per year.