On Air Now

Galesburg Jimmy John’s not forcing employees to sign non-compete clause

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan announced a lawsuit yesterday against Jimmy John’s corporate entities for forcing employees to sign non-compete agreements.
In a news release Madigan says the sandwich shop’s franchises employee agreements are “unfair” to workers and “bad for Illinois business.”

The suit alleges the companies force workers to sign documents barring them from working for two years at any business within three miles of a Jimmy John’s that makes more than 10 percent of it’s revenue from “submarine, hero-type” or “deli-style sandwiches.”

The restriction applies to any shop with in three miles of a Jimmy John’s.

A Galesburg Jimmy John’s manager, who wished to remain anonymous, says the local franchise doesn’t require workers to sign the agreement.

They say employees fill out a simple application.

Madigan Senior Press Secretary Eileen Boyce tells WGIL the Attorney General’s goal is transparency.

“While we know that not every single store may be using these agreements, many, many many of them are here in Illinois,” Boyce says. “And we know that they have been recently using them.”

Madigan is seeking a declaratory judgement that the agreements are “unenforcable” “void and rescinded.”

Jimmy John’s claims that the agreements are covered by copyright. 

The attorney general’s office is also investigating other companies that have “unlawfully imposed” other similar non-compete agreements.

Jimmy John’s operates nearly 300 sandwich shops in Illinois.

Recommended Posts

Loading...

Share Contact

contact-chris-mcintyre-qr-code