U.K. Moves To Ban Employers From Using NDAs That Silence Workplace Abuse Victims

New amendments to the Employment Rights Bill would void confidentiality clauses that prevent workers from speaking out about discrimination or abuse, marking what the government calls the biggest upgrade to workers' rights in a generation.

Britain plans to ban non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) that are used by employers to silence those who are subject to harassment or discrimination, as part of a broader bill to protect workers’ rights, the government said on Monday.

The government is due to table amendments to its employment rights bill, which is passing through parliament, to void NDAs which are used by employers against employees who have been subjected to harassment, including sexual harassment or discrimination in the workplace, it said in a statement.

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If passed, any confidentiality clauses in settlement agreements or other agreements that seek to prevent a worker speaking about an allegation of harassment or discrimination would be null and void, allowing victims to speak freely about their experiences.

“We have heard the calls from victims of harassment and discrimination to end the misuse of NDAs. It is time we stamped this practice out … The Employment Rights Bill will ban any NDA used for this purpose, so that no one is forced to suffer in silence,” Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said in the statement.