Employee NDAs are generally legal in New York, but there are several limits and obligations employers should be aware of. The best practices below will make your non-disclosure agreement more immune from challenge in court.
The amendments expanded restrictions on the use of nondisclosure provisions (“NDAs”) in certain workplace settlement agreements. These amendments, which took effect on November 17, 2023, apply to all agreements entered into after that date.
Nearly 20 states have passed laws restricting their use in dealing with sexual misconduct in the workplace, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington.
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.
Some of the exception clauses are: – Information that is in the public domain. – Information that the disclosing party disclosed before signing the agreement. – Information received by the “receiving party” from a third party, wherein the third party was not obliged to keep the information confidential.
Most NDAs last for as long as the agreement states in its terms, and can be for as long as the parties agree. This is particularly important for trade secrets, which have no registration-type protections and can only be protected for as long as they are kept secret.
7 Key elements to a non-disclosure agreement Identification of involved parties. Definition of the confidential information. Information ownership. Exclusions not considered confidential. Obligations and requirements of the involved parties. Effective agreement period. Consequences of a breach.
20 CFR § 603.5 - What are the exceptions to the confidentiality requirement? (a) Public domain information. (b) UC appeals records. (c) Individual or employer. (d) Informed consent. (1) Agent—to one who acts for or in the place of an individual or an employer by the authority of that individual or employer if—
Federal agencies are required to disclose any information requested under the FOIA unless it falls under one of nine exemptions which protect interests such as personal privacy, national security, and law enforcement.
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.