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Select Committee · Women and Equalities Committee

The use of non-disclosure agreements in discrimination cases inquiry

Status: Closed Opened: 5 Nov 2018 Closed: 5 Nov 2018 1 report
Inquiry scopeThe Government must reset the parameters around the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) and address the failure of the employment tribunal system to ensure all employees who have experienced discrimination have a meaningful route of redress. In the report, MPs condemn the routine cover-up of allegations of unlawful discrimination and harassment in the workplace, and the fact that some employers fail to investigate allegations of unlawful discrimination properly - or at all. The report highlights the difficulties of pursuing a case at employment tribunal and the substantial imbalance of power that can exist between employers and employees which can drive employees to feel that they have little choice but to reach a settlement that prohibits them from speaking out. Following its recent inquiry into sexual harassment in the workplace, which recommended that the Government should clean up the use of NDAs in sexual harassment cases, the Committee today launches a new inquiry to look at the wider use of NDAs in cases where any form of harassment or other discrimination is alleged. This might include, for example, pregnancy or maternity discrimination or racist abuse.

Reports

1 report

Oral evidence sessions

10 sessions

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Date Session and witnesses Source
24 Apr 2019 No witnesses recorded View ↗
3 Apr 2019 No witnesses recorded View ↗
27 Mar 2019 No witnesses recorded View ↗
20 Mar 2019 No witnesses recorded View ↗
20 Mar 2019 No witnesses recorded View ↗
13 Mar 2019 No witnesses recorded View ↗
6 Mar 2019 No witnesses recorded View ↗
13 Feb 2019 No witnesses recorded View ↗
23 Jan 2019 No witnesses recorded View ↗
19 Dec 2018 No witnesses recorded View ↗

Correspondence

8 letters

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PublishedDirectionLetter
14 Mar 2019 To committee Letter from the Minister for Small Business, Consumers and Corporate Responsibility, regarding publication of Confidentiality Clauses Consultation, dated 2 March 2019
27 Feb 2019 To committee Letter from Bar Standards Board to the Chair, regarding harassment and NDAs, dated 11 February 2019
27 Feb 2019 From committee Letter to Sir Philip Green, regarding non-disclosure agreements, dated 14 February 2019
30 Jan 2019 To committee Letter from the President of the Law Society, regarding publication of the Law Society's practice note on the use of non-disclosure agreements, dated 22 January 2019
18 Jan 2019 From committee Letter to the Chair of the Office for Legal Complaints, regarding Non-disclosure agreements and reporting misconduct, dated 6 December 2018
18 Jan 2019 To committee Letter from the Chair of the Office for Legal Complaints, regarding Non-disclosure agreements and reporting misconduct, dated 3 January 2019
9 Jan 2019 To committee Letter from the Chief Executive of the Solicitors Regulation Authoirty, regarding warning notice on non-disclosure agreements, dated 20 December 2018
9 Jan 2019 From committee Letter to the Chief Executive of the Solicitors Regulation Authoirty, regarding non-disclosure agreements, dated 6 December 2018