All Food Companies Should Follow Their Lead Given Shifting Landscape
Bolthouse Farms,* a business in the food and agricultural industry that grows and sells carrots, and makes dressings and beverages, announced today that it’s implementing a new NDA policy to protect its employees.
Non-disclosure agreements or NDAs have long been misused by corporations, non-profits, and other institutions to silence employees (especially women) from speaking out about sexual harassment, discrimination, and other abuses. Additional silencing mechanisms include non-disparagement (not speaking “negatively”) and confidentiality clauses.
Over the past few years, in the wake of the #MeToo era, numerous U.S. states have been enacting laws requiring employers to lessen restrictions on an employee’s ability to speak out about abuses at work. Of the several state laws that have been enacted in recent years, Washington State’s law, which went into effect in June of this year, is the strongest in the nation.
Most recently, Congress passed and President Biden signed the federal “Speak Out Act”, which bans NDAs in employment contracts (but not in post-dispute legal settlements) related to sexual assault and harassment only.
Bolthouse Farms now becomes the first food or agriculture company to take a public stand on this important issue. The company announced today that it is adopting a new NDA policy modeled on the Washington State law.
Bolthouse Farms is somewhat unique among food companies for...
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