Free, confidential whistleblowing advice
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Free, confidential whistleblowing advice
Call us on 020 3117 2520 or email us

Two Steps Forward and One Step Back – the Final Outcome for Whistleblowing Reform in the Employment Rights Bill

On the afternoon on Monday 15th September the government voted to overturn an amendment in the Employment Rights Bill to strengthen protections for whistleblowers. The amendment – which had been voted in by peers in the House of Lords – would have required the government to broaden unfair dismissal grounds and, for the first time, require large employers to take reasonable steps to investigate whistleblowing concerns.

The end of the road for NDAs? 

Ever since the #Metoo movement began in 2017, non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) have been exposed as tools to silence victims of harassment and bullying. Now following years of campaigning an amendment has been introduced to the Employment Rights Bill to block employers from using such agreements. The detail is yet to be mapped out, as well as a timeline for implementation, but while there has been a resounding chorus of approval, some have voiced concerns that the ban could result in some unintended consequences. So, what does this really mean for both sides of the table?