Ministers prepared to back change in law to prohibit misuse of gagging clauses by employers, it is understood
A ban on UK employers using non-disclosure agreements to hush up cases of sexual misconduct and harassment is being considered as part of the government’s overhaul of employment rights.
After a slew of high-profile cases and years of campaigning by activists, it is understood that ministers are prepared to back a change in the law to prohibit the misuse of gagging clauses.
Labour’s flagship employment rights bill does not contain provisions on NDAs but Justin Madders, the workers’ rights minister, has indicated the government is ready to amend the legislation in the coming months.
A change to the bill proposed by the Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran was rejected this week but the minister told a parliamentary committee that the government wanted to “look more closely at what we can do in this area”.
Madders said: “I have met some of the interested parties and there are other proposals to deal with this issue that might be slightly more workable than those in the new clause proposed by the Liberal Democrat spokesperson.”
A government spokesperson said: “This government is on the side of working people, and our landmark employment rights bill will deliver the biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation. We are aware of concerns about the misuse of NDAs to intimidate and silence victims of crime, or other types of misconduct...
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