Starting January 1, 2025, businesses settling disputes with consumers cannot condition any refund or other consideration on a consumer agreeing not to make statements about the business, regardless of the sentiment or accuracy of those statements. The text of the new Cal. Civ. Code § 1748.50 can be found here.
California Laws on Non-Disclosure Agreements Additionally, an NDA must be reasonable in scope and duration to be enforceable, and it must not be contrary to public policy or violate any laws. The California Uniform Trade Secrets Act (CUTSA) also provides specific requirements for NDAs that protect trade secrets.
In California, a nondisclosure agreement may be enforceable, provided it meets basic criteria. The restrictive covenant must be properly drafted. This entails clear writing, detailed information about the confidential components of the contract, and a clearly stated extent of the confidentiality obligation.
Various whistleblower laws protect employees who have signed non-disclosure agreements and find whistleblowing necessary to right the wrongs of their employers. For instance, California law deems unenforceable NDAs that require employees to keep quiet about harassment, discrimination, or unlawful workplace activity.
Breaking an NDA usually doesn't result in jail time — as NDAs are civil contracts, not criminal agreements. Typically, the consequence is a breach of contract lawsuit, where the harmed party may seek financial compensation if the court rules in their favor.
At the top, there are three types, unilateral, bilateral, and multilateral NDAs. The rest of the specific NDA types fall under these three categories. Most are based on who has to sign the NDA. Not all NDAs are created equally, and they can only demand so much secrecy from strangers when compared to their employees.
Five other key features must be included in your NDA to ensure it's legally binding, including a description of confidential information, obligations of the parties involved, any exclusions, the term of the agreement and consequences of a breach.
Legal action: The party that was harmed by the breach of the NDA can take legal action to enforce the agreement and seek damages for any losses that were incurred. This may involve filing a lawsuit, seeking injunctive relief, or pursuing alternative dispute resolution.
Potential remedies include: Injunctive relief: An injunction prevents a party from engaging in some sort of action, for instance using or selling the information that they acquired in violation of the NDA. For the party that misappropriated the protected information, the injunction could destroy their business.
NDAs can carry serious civil and criminal penalties if broken, so like all contracts, you must understand all the terms of the agreement before you sign. If in doubt, contact an attorney who can review the document for you and answer any questions before you sign.