A non-disclosure agreement (NDA) is a legal contract that establishes confidentiality (keeping secret) a sexual harassment or other workplace issue. It requires the worker who suffered harassment to keep their experience completely confidential - that is, they are not allowed to talk about what happened to them.
Although NDAs require all parties (employer, victim-survivor, and sometimes the perpetrator) to maintain confidentiality, the agreement is almost always requested by the employer, not the employee.
Victims of workplace sexual harassment often feel they have no choice but to agree to confidentiality to resolve their complaint.
Our campaign
Working women in union are campaigning to end the practice of silencing victim-survivors through Non-Disclosure Agreements. We are pressuring the Victorian Government to pass legislation that would restrict the use of Non-Disclosure Agreements.
We are also raising awareness in our workplaces and pressuring our own employers to stop using NDAs to silence complaints.
Together we can empower workers who experience gendered violence to speak out about the issues in our workplaces - and start working together to address gendered violence hazards instead of just covering them up.
Due to tireless campaigning of union activists, victim-survivors and working women, the Victorian Government opened formal consultation for legislation to end the misuse of NDAs for workplace harassment, which has now closed. You can read Victorian Trades Hall Council's submission to the consultation HERE.
Take action!
- Sign the petition calling on the Victorian State Government to legislate against the misuse of NDAs! -->
- Organise your workplace for action! Start or join a campaign for the workers at your organisation, calling on your business to commit to not using NDAs to silence complaints.
- Share your story. Do you have a story of signing a Non-Disclosure Agreement?
