An NDA that prevents an employee from working in their profession or field of trade may be considered a non-compete agreement. In California, non-compete agreements are more rarely enforceable. NDAs can also not be used to prevent the reporting of illegal activity or to silence whistleblowers.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Completing the Confidentiality Agreement The "Receiving Party" is the person or company who receives the confidential information and is obligated to keep it secret. You'll need to fill in information specific to your circumstances in the spaces provided, such as the parties' names and addresses.
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.
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.