February 21, 2007

REPRESENTATIVE RYAN DEFENDS GUARDSMARK
EMPLOYEES’ RIGHT TO WORK IN NEW BILL

Standing along side Attorney General Richard Blumenthal and State Sen. Edith Prague (D-Columbia), Rep. Kevin Ryan (D-Oakdale) threw his support behind the recently crafted “Guardsmark Bill” Tuesday afternoon. The bill, named after the nearly 40 Guardsmark employees who lost their jobs after ESPN dropped the company as its security provider, prohibits employers from forcing the acceptance non-compete clauses on its employees.

After Guardsmark recently lost its contract with the cable sports network, the existing guards were prohibited from accepting work with the new security company at ESPN based on a non-compete clause they had earlier signed. According to Rep. Ryan, the non-compete clauses were crafted in an attempt to protect business interests – but not employees.

“This is a decision that was made to protect intellectual property, however, guards are being punished for a decision that was made in which they were unable to participate,” Rep. Ryan said. “This law will provide job security for them and others in the future.”

Though specifics of the bill must still be modified, Attorney General Blumenthal advocated a policy of broad rejection of non-compete clauses. Citing laws already in place in California and Florida, non-compete clauses would be scarcely used unless they protected legitimate business needs.

Representative Ryan and Sen. Prague are the co-chairs of the General Assembly’s Labor and Public Employees Committee.

Kevin Ryan is currently serving his 8th term and represents the towns of Bozrah, Franklin, Lebanon and Montville.