Only Claimants Can Seek NDAs in Calif. Harassment Settlements (1)

Settlements in California lawsuits involving sexual harassment, assault, or discrimination can no longer include nondisclosure agreements unless claimants request confidentiality.

Gov. Jerry Brown (D) signed S.B. 820 by Sen. Connie Leyva (D) Sept. 30 to bar nondisclosure agreements as of Jan. 1, 2019. It is one of several bills lawmakers passed in response to the #MeToo movement.

Called the Stand Together Against Non-Disclosures Act, the new law allows plaintiffs to request nondisclosure agreements while barring defendants from requiring them. It also applies to state administrative complaints and stipulated protective orders.

“As the #MeToo movement continues to shift the culture and ...