Employment rights bill may include ban on use of NDAs

A ban on employers using non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) to hush up cases of sexual misconduct and harassment is being considered as part of the government's overhaul of employment rights.

- Daniel Boffey

It is understood that ministers are prepared to back a change in the law to prohibit the misuse of gagging clauses. Labour's employment rights bill does not contain provisions on NDAs but Justin Madders, the workers' rights minister, has indicated the government is ready to amend the legislation in the coming months.

A change to the bill proposed by the Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran was rejected this week but the minister told a parliamentary committee that the government wanted to "look more closely at what we can do in this area".

Madders said: "I have met some of the interested parties and there are other proposals to deal with this issue that might be slightly more workable than those in the new clause proposed by the Liberal Democrat spokesperson."