OLYMPIA, WA, March 3, 2022 — The Washington Senate passed the WA Silenced No More Act tonight taking the state closer to protecting workers from the abusive use of non-disclosure & non-disparagement agreements (NDAs). State Rep. Liz Berry (D-Seattle) introduced House Bill 1795 earlier this year to prohibit NDAs from being used to block employees from speaking out about harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and wage-theft in the workplace.
“This bill is about empowering workers. It is about giving workers a voice,” said Berry. “Despite the progress we’ve made in recent years, too many workers are still forced to sign NDAs and settlement agreements that silence them. This bill will allow all survivors of inappropriate or illegal workplace misconduct to share their experiences if they choose to do so.”
Berry worked closely with Sen. Karen Keiser (D-Des Moines), Cher Scarlett, a software engineer and workers’ rights advocate who became a leader in the #AppleToo movement, and Chelsey Glasson, a former Google employee and whistleblower, in drafting Washington’s Silenced No More Act—which mirrors the recently enacted California law of the same name.
“This is a simple bill that can go a long way toward eradicating misconduct in the workplace that is too often swept under the rug,” said Keiser. “The way to protect employees from harassment and discrimination is to enable them to speak up.”
The bill is now headed to Gov. Jay Inslee for his signature.
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