Utah lawmakers added redundancy in March with a bill that prohibits NDAs “related to sexual assault and sexual harassment, as a condition of employment.” “The only way that sexual harassment and violence in the workplace happens is when we cannot talk about it and point it out to stop it,” Rep.
In Part 1 of this series, I explained that Utah courts will enforce Restrictive Covenants (like non-compete agreements, non-solicitation agreements, no-hire clauses, and similar provisions), as long as they are written to protect the employer's “blood, sweat, and tears”—its innovation, investment, goodwill, etc.
Employment contracts or settlement agreements containing nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) or non-disparagement clauses pertaining to sexual misconduct allegations are now void under Utah state law.
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.
H.B. 55 adds a new section to the Utah Antidiscrimination Act providing that nondisclosure or non-disparagement clauses regarding sexual misconduct (sexual assault or harassment) required as a condition of employment are against public policy, void and unenforceable.
2. NDAs are enforceable when they are signed — if they are properly drafted and executed.
In a mutual NDA, by contrast, both parties agree not to reveal each other's confidential information. While the unilateral NDA is a one-way street, an MNDA creates a confidential relationship where information is protected by both parties.
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.
You do not need a lawyer to create and sign a non-disclosure agreement. However, if the information you are trying to protect is important enough to warrant an NDA, you may want to have the document reviewed by someone with legal expertise.
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.