Ban ‘gagging orders' in sexual harassment cases: UK lawmakers

Call follows inquiry into sexual misconduct allegations by women in finance in 2023

Finance firms in Britain should be banned from misusing non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) to silence victims of sexual harassment and abuse, lawmakers said on March 8, 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.

"It is shocking to hear how prevalent sexual harassment and bullying, up to and including serious sexual assault and rape, still are in financial services, and how poorly firms handle allegations of such behaviours," said the committee, led by lawmaker Harriett Baldwin.