Mon, 07 Jul 2025

Mon, 07 Jul 2025 Workplace misconduct and discrimination NDAs to be banned

There has been concern that non-disclosure agreements have been used to silence those in workplaces suffering harassment.

* Employers will no longer be allowed to use non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) to silence victims of workplace sexual misconduct or discrimination.
* An amendment to the Employment Rights Bill, which is expected to become law later this year, will void any confidentiality agreements seeking to prevent workers from speaking about allegations of harassment or discrimination.
* The government says it's "time we stamped this practice out" and that the use of NDAs to cover up criminality has been "abhorrent".
* Zelda Perkins, a former assistant to Harvey Weinstein, broke her NDA in 2017 to accuse him of sexual abuse, leading to increased scrutiny of NDAs.
* The change in law will bring the UK into line with Ireland, the US, and some provinces in Canada, which have banned such agreements from being used to prevent disclosure of sexual harassment and discrimination.
* Campaigners say the victory belongs to those who broke their NDAs and spoke out about their experiences, and that it's vital for regulations to be "watertight" to prevent forced silence.
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