Government backs MPs’ criticism of workplace ‘cover-up culture’ via non-disclosure agreements
The practice of using non-disclosure agreements to cover up mistreatment at work has come a step closer to being abolished.
The government has thrown its weight behind a parliamentary report which was highly critical of the practice, in which NDAs are routinely used by companies to cover up unlawful discrimination and sexual harassment at work.
In response to the report by the Women and Equalities Committee (WEC), the government said it agrees the use of NDAs to cover up complaints is “unacceptable”.
Although it said there “is a legitimate place” for such contracts in the workplace, using them “to silence and intimidate victims of harassment and discrimination cannot be tolerated”.
The response said it is also concerned the “repeated inappropriate use of NDAs within an organisation may prevent it from recognising, and therefore addressing, significant underlying problems”.
Labour MP Maria Miller, who chairs the committee, said: “We are pleased to see that the government agrees that it is unacceptable for NDAs to be used to cover-up cases of sexual harassment and discrimination in the workplace and has held its own consultations on the issue.
“There is an urgent need for the government to now act on our report and their own consultations on employment tribunal time limits, sexual harassment in the workplace and the new single labour market enforcement body to improve the protections for people who suffer discrimination or harassment at work.