Matt Blumenthal

Toxic workplaces and the predators who poison them rely on silence to persist. Yesterday, I joined women's-rights advocate and former TV journalist Gretchen Carlson, other advocates, and legislators to announce broad legislation to end Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) for toxic workplace issues -- including harassment, discrimination, and abuse -- in Connecticut. Our common goal is to give workers the ability to be free to tell their story of workplace discrimination and seek justice without penalty.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have heard too many stories from survivors of workplace discrimination who have been silenced due to NDAs. This silence not only prevents survivors from achieving justice, but also prevents them from warning others about toxic workplaces, allowing others to be victimized. NDAs can also prevent victims from getting new employment by preventing them from sharing the reasons they left a previous job.

As someone who has represented victims of harassment and abuse in litigation, I have seen how important it is to allow victims to seek help and warn others. Their voices are powerful and send a message to everyone that such conduct is unacceptable, and that anyone who engages in it or allows it will be held accountable.

Yesterday, former television journalists and advocates Gretchen Carlson and Julie Roginsky traveled to Hartford to warn of the dangers of NDAs. Even though their cases helped launch the #MeToo movement, NDAs prevent either of them from sharing any information about their individual sexual harassment cases or experiences at Fox News. All these years later, Carlson and Roginsky are fighting to end NDAs and forced arbitration for toxic workplaces issues. Through their organization, Lift Our Voices, they have successfully helped pass state and federal legislation on these subjects.

NDAs silence victims of toxic-workplace misconduct, and we are working to end them for cases of workplace harassment, discrimination, and abuse.

Connecticut is looking to join New Jersey, California, and the state of Washington in passing similar legislation in 2024. Momentum is building after a new study from New Jersey shows that prohibiting workplace NDAs has no negative effect on survivors' ability to obtain justice nor any impact on caseloads. This evidence shows it is time to take action to ensure these provisions no longer silence survivors in Connecticut.

CLICK HERE to watch the entire press conference.