NDAs aimed to protect trade secrets. Now they're often hiding bad behaviour, says prof
27/05/2023
BREAKING NEWS:
In the UK:
Legal Services Board Calls for Evidence of misuse of NDAs
UK Parliament votes through a new law that will prohibit universities from entering into NDA’s about complaints of sexual misconduct, abuse, bullying, harassment or discrimination.
Campaigners hail a major breakthrough five years since abusive NDA’s came into the public spotlight after the Harvey Weinstein revelations.
In Canada:
Senator Marilou McPhedran introduced a federal Bill on May 9 2023 to prevent government and government funded organizations from misusing NDAs to cover up misconduct or to enforce NDAS using public monies.
Key Points of the Can't Buy Silence Act
BC Green Party and CBMS launch petition in BC to Reform the use of Non-Disclosure Agreements
B.C. Green Party introduce bill that would ban NDAs in harassment and discrimination cases
Canadian Bar Association votes overwhelmingly to end abuse of non-disclosure agreements READ STORY HERE
WHAT ARE NDAs?
Non disclosure agreements are contracts that were created to protect trade secrets but when used wrongly become secret settlement contracts used to buy the silence of a victim or whistleblower. They have become the default solution for organisations, corporations and public bodies to settle cases of sexual misconduct, racism, pregnancy discrimination and other human rights violations.
WHAT'S THE PROBLEM WITH NDAS?
NDAs PERPETUATE THE PROBLEM
as they allow a person who has behaved abusively and possibly criminally to stay put or move with impunity to another organisation.
NDAs DON’T PROTECT THE VICTIM
they protect an employer’s reputation and the career of the perpetrator, not the victim who can be protected by a simple one-sided confidentiality clause.
NDAs GAG VICTIMS PERMANENTLY
preventing them reporting, speaking to family and friends about their own experiences, or warning others.
NDAs MAKE VICTIMS LIE
about their past and in some cases require co-workers to tell lies or risk being sued for defamation.
NDAs CHILL THE CLIMATE
for anyone wishing to speak up about abuse in the workplace.
FOUNDERS
Zelda Perkins
Julie Macfarlane
Zelda Perkins and Prof. Julie Macfarlane joined forces in September 2021 to create CAN’T BUY MY SILENCE after their own shocking personal experiences exposed the harmful use of NDAs.
Their campaign goal is to stop the misuse of NDAs so that they are ONLY used for the purpose for which they were created – the protection of IP and trade secrets.
They are determined to outlaw NDAs when used to “buy” the silence of victims in order to protect sexual predators, bullies, racists and abusers. In order to put pressure on legislators they are also advocating that regulators, businesses and institutions adopt a code of practice that will not allow NDAs to hide information about harmful people, practices and products.
campaign news
Canada unveils reforms in bid to enhance safe sport practices
13/05/2023
Role of lawyers in misuse of NDAs to be examined by UK regulator
01/05/2023
Fordham’s Graduate Student Workers Union Addresses Nondisclosure Agreements
26/04/2023
CBMS UPDATE APRIL 2023
12/04/2023
NDAs and a culture of silence
06/04/2023
Furstenau gets ball rolling on curbing NDAs
06/04/2023
A Call to End the Use of Nondisclosure Agreements, or NDAs, in Massachusetts
02/04/2023
N.S. opposition parties call for legislation limiting NDAs for sexual assault, harassment cases
29/03/2023
Greens Take Lead to Stop NDAs from Silencing Victims
27/03/2023
NY State Senate Passes Ban on Secret Deals
17/03/2023
Misuse of NDAs focus of Can’t Buy My Silence
14/03/2023
Canadian Bar Association Votes Overwhelmingly To End Abuse Of NDAs
09/02/2023
Canadian Bar Association votes to advocate to end misuse of NDAS coverage
09/02/2023
Regulators plan new work on lawyers’ misuse of NDAs
23/01/2023
Samantha Morton Breaks Down Her Pivotal Role in ‘She Said’ and Capturing the Essence of Zelda Perkins
16/01/2023
CBMS UPDATE NOV 2022
15/01/2023
Tragic consequences of non-disclosure agreements
09/01/2023
A Resolution to Limit Use of NDA's up for debate at the CBA Annual Meeting in February.
06/01/2023
CBMS July 2022 Update
30/12/2022
An NDA from Harvey Weinstein cost me my career – at last, banning them feels within reach
15/12/2022
Biden signs law curbing nondisclosure agreements that block victims of sexual harassment from speaking out
08/12/2022
Ontario, lawyer hails victory on university, college use of non-disclosure agreements
06/12/2022
Times Up UK backs campaign Cant Buy My Silence
29/11/2022
"She Said" Screening UK Q&A with Emily Maitlis, Sam Morton, Zelda Perkins
27/11/2022
London (Ontario) lawyer fights university, college use of non-disclosure agreements
24/11/2022
Mark Stephens, Zelda Perkins discuss NDAs & Dominic Raab
24/11/2022
‘She Said’ Filmmakers and Weinstein Victims: An Emotional Collaboration
19/11/2022
I knew Harvey was a monster after he tried to rape my colleague. But when I spoke out I was silenced
11/11/2022
Has the Use of NDA's Gone Too Far? Halifax Roundtable
08/11/2022
Expert Panel on Abuse of NDA'S IN MOVA SCOTIA
07/11/2022
People silenced by non-disclosure agreements speak out at hearing for Manitoba Liberal bill
05/11/2022
Can’t Buy My Silence to Host Exclusive Preview Screening of “She Said” in LondonPost 130
04/11/2022
Banning the use of NDA' in Nova Scotia and Elsewhere
02/11/2022
Premier says people aren't 'forced' to sign NDAs; advocates say coercion a factor
31/10/2022
Ontario to end secrecy behind campus sexual misconduct cases and let universities fire faculty who abuse students
30/10/2022
A man was charged with her sexual assault 3 years ago. He's never been extradited
28/10/2022
Ontario to ban NDAs in sexual misconduct cases by staff at colleges, universities
27/10/2022
MLA who sponsored P.E.I.'s non-disclosure agreement bill says N.S. should act now
19/10/2022
Trauma therapist calls for ban on NDAs for sexual assault survivors
18/10/2022
BBC Radio 5 With Naga Munchetty
18/10/2022
Lawyers need to redraw ethical boundaries “or face external action”
14/10/2022
Weinstein whistleblower: ‘nothing has changed’ on NDA rules
14/10/2022
Reforming NDAs should be top of Liz Truss’s agenda
13/10/2022
Liberal bill targets ‘legalized hush money’
11/10/2022
Watch An Animated Graphic of the NDA Story
05/10/2022
Inquiry launched into alleged sexual harassment by union leader
21/09/2022
Grassroots campaign wants to reform ‘dangerous’ non-disclosure agreements in Canada, abroad
09/08/2022
Lyons backs NI universities’ pledge to end use of Non-Disclosure Agreements
01/08/2022
CBC HOCKEY CANADA COVERAGE
26/07/2022
Abuse and harassment survivors 'silenced' ...
23/07/2022
CTV NEWS HOCKEY CANADA COVERAGE
22/07/2022
Hockey Canada comes under fire after for its handling of alleged sexual assault
21/07/2022
Workplace 'gag orders' for sexual harassment could be finished
16/07/2022
The Government says it will look to model the legislation off a Bill...
16/07/2022
She Said – Official Trailer Release
14/07/2022
Victoria to restrict deals silencing sexual harassment victims
11/07/2022
U.K. Performers’ Union Equity Fights Back Against NDA Overreach
11/07/2022
NHS ambulance service doctored documents to cover up truth about deaths
21/05/2022
Ending Gag Clauses
19/05/2022
Victims no longer silenced as landmark legislation takes effect on P.E.I.
17/05/2022
Zelda Perkins of Can’t Buy My Silence discusses 56 MPs facing claims of sexual misconduct
30/04/2022
Lady Margaret Hall is first Oxford college to ban non-disclosure agreements
27/04/2022
How Being Legally Silenced Prolongs Workplace Trauma and PTSD
21/04/2022
P.E.I. could become 1st province to limit use of NDAs to silence victims of sexual misconduct
09/11/2021
Harvey Weinstein PA says abusers still have the legal power to silence victims
10/10/2021
Move fast to fix NDAs if you want to avoid a ban
23/09/2021
‘I had to start over, alone and silenced’: the fight to end NDA abuse
21/09/2021
Harvey Weinstein's Former Assistant's Mission to Ban NDAs Explained
20/09/2021
Whistleblowers launch campaign to end misuse of NDAs
16/09/2021
Harvey Weinstein’s former PA: Why I want a law banning NDAs
14/09/2021
The Campaign to End NDAs
13/09/2021
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