Illinois AG suing Jimmy John’s for forbidding employees from working for competitors

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan filed a lawsuit against Jimmy John’s Wednesday for making its workers sign agreements that restrict them from working for competing sandwich businesses.

According to a statement, the non-compete agreements forbid employees from working anyplace within two or three miles of any Jimmy John’s that also makes more than 10 percent of its money from selling “submarine, hero-type, deli-style, pita, and/or wrapped or rolled sandwiches.” They would also be bound by the agreement for two years after they stopped working for Jimmy John’s.

“Preventing employees from seeking employment with a competitor is unfair to Illinois workers and bad for Illinois businesses,” Madigan said in the statement.

Madigan argues the agreements are illegal and unenforceable under Illinois law, and is suing to get them voided.