Federal judge issues narrow pause on FTC noncompete ban

A federal judge on Wednesday granted a preliminary injunction on a nationwide ban on noncompete agreements issued this spring, calling into question its future in the face of opposition by prominent business groups.

The Dallas-based tax firm Ryan LLC was joined by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Business Roundtable and other business groups in a lawsuit against the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which voted 3-2 in April to ban the common agreements that prevent tens of millions of...