By Julia Love
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – A former Apple Inc employee who had filed a whistleblower complaint related to Apple’s use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) has inspired draft legislation in Washington state that seeks to restrict companies’ use of NDAs in settlements of workplace harassment and discrimination claims.
The draft legislation in Washington state comes on the heels of a similar law in California.
Washington state Senator Karen Keiser and Representative Liz Berry, both Democrats, are working on bills in their respective houses, which they plan to introduce in the next legislative session, their offices confirmed this week.
Cher Scarlett, a former Apple employee and Washington state resident who has played a leading role in worker activism, said she reached out to Keiser in October to raise awareness about the issue.
“No worker should be silenced from sharing their deeply personal story of harassment or discrimination in the workplace just because they signed an NDA,” Berry said in a statement to Reuters.
NDAs are commonplace in the technology industry. Some employees have alleged that tech giants use the agreements to discourage legally protected activities such as discussions of working conditions.
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