Do New California Restrictions on Confidentiality Provisions Tie Employer Hands on Releases and Other Employee Contracts?

Bruce Sarchet and Corinn Jackson, with Littler’s Workplace Policy Institute, chat with Betsy Cammarata of the firm’s Knowledge Management team about major upcoming changes to California laws governing employee release and confidentiality agreements. Bruce and Corinn explore three new laws (AB 3109, SB 820, and SB 1300) that nullify certain common contractual terms. SB 820, for example, generally outlaws provisions in settlement agreements that would prevent the disclosure of facts related to claims of sexual harassment. Bruce and Corinn discuss steps that employers can take now to prepare for compliance with these laws by the January 1, 2019 effective date.