End the misuse of NDAs: a campaign won by union women
We won! From 1 July 2026, non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) can no longer be used to silence survivors of workplace sexual harassment in Victoria.
On 19 November 2025, after years of union campaigning, Victoria became the first state in Australia to pass legislation restricting the use of non-disclosure agreements in workplace sexual harassment cases.
This is what working women fought for and won.
What is an NDA or non-disclosure agreement?A non-disclosure agreement (NDA) is an agreement between two or more parties to keep certain information confidential. Non-disclosure agreements were designed to protect trade secrets. But for decades, employers used them to silence workers who experienced sexual harassment stopping them from speaking to their union, their doctor, their family, or even their friends. The agreement was almost always imposed by the employer, not requested by the worker. Survivors were left isolated, serial offenders were shielded from accountability and employer reputations were protected. |
Our campaign to break the silence
Since 2022, union women across Victoria have campaigned to end this practice.
Together, we met with over 70 members of the Victorian Parliament, collected more than 8,000 petition signatures, organised over 300 union activists and gathered 256 testimonies from survivors who broke their silence to demand change.
We were told the practice was too entrenched to change. That it couldn't be done. But thousands of working women stood up and said: this isn't right.
We stood with survivors and we changed the law.
This reform puts power back in the hands of survivors and sends a clear message: protecting an employer's reputation will never again be more important than a worker's safety.
The new law means employers can no longer ask, influence or force workers to sign an NDA as part of resolving a sexual harassment matter.
Victoria is leading, but this fight isn't over. We're pushing for this reform to go national.
Union members, officials and activists gathering in front of the Victorian Parliament demanding the end of NDAs in case of sexual harassment at work. 2024
You can access the legislation and relevant forms on the Victorian government website.
Explore the resources below to understand the new law, know your rights and keep organising!