Ban gagging orders for sexual harassment victims, UK lawmakers demand

Finance firms in Britain should be banned from misusing non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) to silence victims of sexual harassment and abuse, lawmakers said on Friday, calling for an end to an era of impunity for predators and bullies.
In a report on sexism in the City of London, published on International Women’s Day, the cross-party Treasury Committee called for new legislation to bar “gagging orders” that shield serial perpetrators, cover-up discrimination, prompt women to resign and embed corrosive workplace cultures.
The committee said it launched its inquiry in response to sexual assault and misconduct allegations by women in finance last year. Lawmakers quizzed executives, regulators and invited evidence from advocacy groups and victims.
Progress in tackling sexism and misogyny in financial markets had moved at “snail’s pace” since a similar investigation in 2018, Baldwin said, adding that corporate inaction was both immoral and bad for business.