The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has initiated a Joint Labor Task Force aimed at addressing deceptive, unfair, and anticompetitive practices in the labor market that adversely affect American workers. This directive was issued by FTC Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson.
Chairman Ferguson's memorandum outlines the collaboration of several FTC divisions, including the Bureau of Competition, Bureau of Consumer Protection, Bureau of Economics, and Office of Policy Planning. The task force is tasked with prioritizing investigations and prosecutions related to harmful labor market conduct. It will also focus on creating protocols for information sharing among FTC bureaus to improve the detection and investigation of such practices.
The initiative underscores the importance of a healthy labor market for national success while acknowledging that deceptive practices are prevalent across various industries. These practices can limit worker mobility and earning potential. Examples highlighted include no-poach agreements, noncompete clauses, wage-fixing arrangements, misleading job advertisements, deceptive business opportunities, misleading franchise offers, and unlawful coordination on diversity metrics.
The directive aims to align the FTC's law enforcement efforts concerning worker protection within both consumer-protection and competition frameworks.
The Federal Trade Commission remains committed to promoting competition and protecting consumers through education. The agency emphasizes that it will never demand money or make threats and encourages individuals to report scams or fraudulent activities via ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
