29/10/2025

A bill being introduced into Victorian Parliament today to ban non-disclosure agreements (NDAs)  in workplace sexual harassment cases unless expressly requested by the employee is welcome, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).

“In the experience of ALA members and their clients, NDAs can be used to avoid addressing harmful workplace cultures and as a result, NDAs do not facilitate justice for victim survivors of workplace sexual harassment,” said Susan Accary, State President, Australian Lawyers Alliance.

“We welcome the news that the Victorian Government has responded to the strong feedback from employees who have experienced harassment, and we congratulate the Victorian Trades Hall Council for successfully advocating for this reform.

“It is important that this legislation honours the reality of how victim survivors heal from the experience of sexual harassment at work and considers the power imbalances between employers and employees.

'“If passed, this legislation will be an important step forward to addressing workplace safety and ensuring that victim-survivors, who are very often women, have a voice. We look forward to reviewing the proposed legislation in detail.”

The ALA is not for profit member association of legal professionals dedicated to protecting and promoting justice, freedom and the rights of the individual.