California Legislature Strikes at Confidentiality Clauses in Consumer Refunds and Settlement Agreements. A targeted change to California law will prohibit non-disparagement and similar confidentiality clauses in consumer settlement agreements and refund policies.
In addition, California's STAND Act and Silenced No More Act make it unlawful for businesses to use nondisclosure agreements to prevent their employees from revealing factual information regarding sexual assaults, workplace harassment, workplace discrimination, or workplace retaliation.
NDAs are enforceable when they are signed — if they are properly drafted and executed. NDAs are enforceable once signed, provided they have been drafted and executed properly. Unilateral NDAs need only the signature of the receiving party, whereas mutual non-disclosure agreements need the signatures of both parties.
After December 7, 2022, employees who sign an agreement that includes a non-disparagement clause or a non-disclosure clause before sexual harassment or assault occurs and a dispute arises are not bound by these agreements. The Speak Out Act of 2022 renders such clauses judicially unenforceable.
Typically, a legal professional writing the NDA will complete these steps: Step 1 - Describe the scope. Which information is considered confidential? ... Step 2 - Detail party obligations. Step 3 - Note potential exclusions. Step 4 - Set the term. Step 5 - Spell out consequences.
For decades, noncompete agreements have been almost entirely unenforceable in California. At the end of 2023, the California legislature expanded its ban on noncompetes to encompass contracts entered outside of California by enacting California Business and Professions Code section 16600.5.
NDAs should have a clear description of the purpose, parties, and duration they cover. Specifying time limits or periods that your employees are subject to confidentiality is particularly important to ensure your NDA is enforceable in California. The typical time period is one to five years.
There are three types of NDAs: unilateral, bilateral, and multilateral. Read on to learn when you should use each type. You'll also learn how to use a contract management tool like Ironclad to draft and manage them.
You cannot sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) with yourself because an NDA is a contract between two or more parties. However, you can create a similar document for personal or organizational use to protect sensitive information, but it wouldn't be a typical NDA since there's no distinct second party involved.