The National Labor Relations Board is shifting its approach under Acting General Counsel William Cowen, who recently rescinded over 25 policy memoranda issued by his predecessor. Among the rescinded memos were those limiting severance agreements and restricting noncompete clauses, policies introduced under former GC Jennifer Abruzzo. The move aligns with broader efforts under the Trump administration to roll back Biden-era labor policies. With the NLRB currently unable to issue decisions due to a lack of quorum, the rescissions may lead to more employer-friendly outcomes in ongoing cases.
See "Acting NLRB GC William Cowen Rescinds Abruzzo’s Noncompetes and Severance Agreements Memo", Lauren C. Schaefer, The National Law Review, February 28, 2025