Abstract
The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the reported impact of noncompete clauses (NCCs) on practitioners in the field of applied behavior analysis (ABA). Thirty-seven percent of respondents indicated they currently worked under a NCC, 33% reported working under one in the past, and 30% reported never working under one. Responses on the effects of NCCs on practitioners’ personal and work lives were mixed. Some respondents reported benefits associated with working under an NCC such as increased pay and reduced commute. However, a concerning number of respondents reported being involved in litigation, having to partially or completely stop working in the field of ABA, having to turn away clients due to NCCs, or contemplating leaving the field altogether. Further, many owners reported using NCCs to protect trade secrets, to avoid losing clients, and reduce employee turnover. The impact of NCCs in ABA, the rights of employees and owners, and suggestions for potential solutions in the field are discussed.
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08 June 2022
A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-022-00724-6
Notes
We acknowledge that organizations are not organisms, and therefore cannot behave. However, we have chosen to use this rhetorical structure throughout the article for the sake of brevity and readability.
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This project received approval from Youngstown State University’s Institutional Review Board (091-21).
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Kristopher J. Brown acknowledges Mary Brown, MS, and Stephen Flora, PhD, for their early input and feedback on survey items.
This article was updated to correct errors introduced into the income ranges in the section "Impact of NCCs on Those Who Previously Worked under One." The errors were introduced during production and the authors are not responsible.
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Brown, K.J., Brodhead, M.T. Reported Effects of Noncompete Clauses on Practitioners in Applied Behavior Analysis. Behav Analysis Practice 16, 251–264 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-022-00718-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-022-00718-4