SEATTLE — Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson has announced an agreement with eight more restaurant chains to end what are called “no-poach” practices.
No-poach agreements prohibit employees from moving to a different restaurant in the same chain.
Ferguson says they are in violation of Washington's anti-trust law and prevent employees from getting raises or promotions by moving to another restaurant.
“The worker never sees it. All the worker knows is they try to get a job at another (restaurant in the same chain), they’re turned down but they would have no reason why they are turned down.
People talk about a rigged system sometimes. This is it,” Ferguson said in an interview with KIRO 7.
The agreements announced Monday eliminate no-poach clauses at Applebee's, Church's Chicken, Five Guys, IHOP, Jamba Juice, Little Caesars, Panera, and Sonic restaurants. Seven other chains agreed to end the practice last month.
To avoid a lawsuit, all the companies agreed to eliminate the no-poach clauses not just in Washington state but also nationwide.
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