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HR 4254 114th Congress House

Freedom for Workers to Seek Opportunity Act

Official title: To prohibit employers from requiring grocery store employees to enter into covenants not to compete, and for other purposes.

Introduced: December 15, 2015 See on congress.gov
Labor and Employment Civil actions and liabilityContracts and agencyEmployee hiringEmployment discrimination and employee rights
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
Food industry and servicesLabor-management relationsRetail and wholesale trades
This bill died when the 114th Congress ended
It never became law before the 114th Congress (2015–2016) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Mar 23, 2016
Referred to the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections.
Dec 15, 2015
Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
Dec 15, 2015
Introduced in House
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 Latest action March 23, 2016

Referred to the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Freedom for Workers to Seek Opportunity Act

This bill: (1) prohibits employers from entering into not-to-compete covenants with any grocery store employees engaged in commerce or in the production of goods for commerce, and (2) requires an employer of such employees to post a notice of this prohibition in a conspicuous place on the employer's premises.

No employers who own or operate at least one grocery store may, in conjunction with the purchase of one or more grocery stores owned or operated by another employer, include in any agreement between such employers any provision that restricts either employer from hiring a grocery store employee of the other employer.

An employer who acquires the operation of another employer and retains in employment a grocery store employee of the former employee at the same grocery store of the former employer shall continue to recognize, for all employment purposes, the seniority of that grocery store employee, and, to the extent practicable, make available to such employees any benefits made available by the former employer.

The Secretary of Labor shall: (1) enforce a complaint of a violation of this Act in the same manner as a complaint of a violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, and (2) impose a specified civil fine on any employer who violates this Act.

 Related & companion bills 2
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 4254: Freedom for Workers to Seek Opportunity Act. 114th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-4254/
MLA
"H.R. 4254: Freedom for Workers to Seek Opportunity Act." 114th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-4254/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 4254, 114th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-4254/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 4254: Freedom for Workers to Seek Opportunity Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-4254/)
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