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Employment Contract Confidentiality Agreements Whistleblower Protection Policies

WilmerHale

SEC Continues Scrutiny of Provisions That Might Impede Whistleblowers

WilmerHale on

On September 9, 2024, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced settled charges against seven public companies for violations of certain whistleblower protections provided by Rule 21F-17 under the Securities...more

Perkins Coie

Whistleblower Protection Remains SEC Priority

Perkins Coie on

Last week, the SEC announced settled charges against seven public companies for use of agreements that the SEC alleges have provisions that violate the whistleblower protection rule. Coincidentally, I recently recorded a...more

Woods Rogers

CFPB Warns Employee Confidentiality Agreements May Violate Whistleblower Protections

Woods Rogers on

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) recently issued the Consumer Financial Protection Circular 2024-04 warning financial institutions that broad employee confidentiality agreements may violate the whistleblower...more

Ius Laboris

Whistleblower Confidentiality Unveiled

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Confidentiality clauses in employment contracts typically aim to protect an employer’s confidential information, but there are limitations on the extent to which they can restrict whistleblowing activities....more

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,...

SEC Takes on Nondisclosure Agreements to Protect Whistleblower Program; Fines Firm $10 Million

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in recent years has taken an aggressive stance against employers over employment agreements that the agency believes impede its whistleblower program—as highlighted by a $10...more

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

SEC Continues to Police Confidentiality Provisions for Theoretical Whistleblower Suppression

Seyfarth Shaw LLP on

The Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) levied an $18 million fine against J.P. Morgan Securities, LLC (“JPMS”) for allegedly including overbroad release provisions in settlement agreements. This marks the continuation...more

White & Case LLP

How to Avoid Risk of SEC Whistleblower Rule Violations in Connection with Settlement Agreement Confidentiality Provisions

White & Case LLP on

In March 2023, we published an alert concerning the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") whistleblower protection rule and how to minimize the risk of violations in connection with employee-related documents.1 Last...more

BakerHostetler

Employers Beware: Broad Confidentiality and Severance Clauses May Violate Whistleblower Protection Laws

BakerHostetler on

Employers should check their confidentiality and severance agreements for a common oversight that, for some, is becoming a costly error. Recent enforcement activity by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of Rule...more

Akerman LLP - HR Defense

Jingle All the Way to the SEC: Employers (Even Privately Held) Under Scrutiny for Language in Separation Agreements Impeding SEC...

While jingle bells have only just begun to ring, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) enforcement bells have been ringing steadily throughout year. In recent months, the SEC announced significant settlements with...more

Womble Bond Dickinson

Recent Whistleblower Enforcement Actions Highlight SEC Focus On Employee Agreements

Womble Bond Dickinson on

In September, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) announced the settlement of three enforcement actions for violations of SEC whistleblower protection laws. In the actions, the SEC asserted that the...more

Proskauer - Employee Benefits & Executive...

[Podcast]: Key Contractual Provisions for Employers to Incorporate in Documents with Confidentiality Covenants

In this episode of The Proskauer Brief, Kate Napalkova, special employee benefits and executive compensation counsel, and associate Oleg Zakatov discuss potential pitfalls that lurk in employment agreements and other employee...more

Fisher Phillips

Expect Changes To New York Sexual Harassment Laws In 2018

Fisher Phillips on

Following national attention on the #metoo movement, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced plans as part of his State of the State address earlier this month to strengthen New York’s laws on sexual harassment in the...more

Proskauer - Whistleblower Defense

UPDATE: California Federal Court Permits Former Bank Internal Auditor’s Whistleblower Claims to Proceed

A California federal court—in Erhart v. BofI Holding, Inc., 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14755, Case No. 15-cv-02287 (S.D. Cal. Sept. 11, 2017)—recently denied BofI Federal Bank’s (“BofI’s”) motion to dismiss the Sarbanes-Oxley...more

Proskauer - Whistleblower Defense

California District Court Addresses Whistleblower’s Self-Help

In Erhart v. BofI Holding, Inc., Case No. 15-cv-02287, (S.D. Cal. Feb. 14, 2017), a bank’s internal auditor reported alleged misconduct to federal agencies, engaged in self-help discovery by appropriating the bank’s...more

Nossaman LLP

Did you know... Are You in Position to Take Advantage of the New Federal Defend Trade Secrets Act?

Nossaman LLP on

Recently, President Obama signed into law the Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016 (DTSA) which amends the Economic Espionage Act of 1996, codified at 18 U.S.C. §§ 1831 et seq. Key benefits of the DTSA includes the option...more

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP

SEC Continues Crackdown on Employer Whistleblower Restrictions

Takeaways: - SEC is targeting contract terms that appear to restrict contact with the SEC or require employee whistleblowers to waive monetary recoveries. - Express disclosure of these rights in severance...more

McAfee & Taft

Defend Trade Secrets Act requires immediate review of confidentiality agreements with employees and contractors

McAfee & Taft on

On May 11, 2016, President Obama signed the Defend Trade Secrets Act (DTSA), which creates a new federal cause of action for misappropriation of trade secrets. Although the DTSA provides several new changes to trade secret...more

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP

Trade Secrets Claims Reach Federal Court: New Law Changes Jurisdiction, Remedies and Duties

Until May 12, 2016, trade secret law was the only area of intellectual property law left largely to state courts and state law. But no longer. On May 12, President Obama signed the Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016, Pub. L....more

Brooks Pierce

How the New Trade Secrets Law May Affect You

Brooks Pierce on

A week ago, on May 11, 2016, the President signed into law the new federal “Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016.” It arms with substantial new weaponry those whose trade secrets have been taken. What has been less heralded,...more

Burr & Forman

Just When Your Handbook Thought it Was Safe to Go Back In the Water: The Impact of the Defend Trade Secrets Act on Employers

Burr & Forman on

On April 27, 2016, the U.S. House of Representatives approved the Defend Trade Secrets Act (DTSA) by a 410-2 vote, the DTSA previously passed the Senate with an 87-0 vote. The DTSA provides employers with federal jurisdiction...more

Greenberg Glusker LLP

Newly Enacted "Defend Trade Secrets Act" Requires Notice Provision to Be Added to Future Confidentiality Agreements to Preserve...

Greenberg Glusker LLP on

As you may have heard, on May 11, 2016, President Obama signed into law the new federal Defend Trade Secrets Act (DTSA). This is a significant and comprehensive law that now allows holders of trade secrets to pursue civil...more

Alston & Bird

What the Defend Trade Secrets Act Means for You

Alston & Bird on

On May 11, President Obama signed the Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016 (DTSA), which received rare support across party lines, passing Congress unanimously in the Senate and by a vote of 410-2 in the House of Representatives....more

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,...

Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016 Heading to White House: What You Should Know Now

Congress has finally passed the anticipated Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016 (DTSA). The bill, which is now on its way to the White House and is expected to be signed by President Obama, will be effective immediately once it...more

Latham & Watkins LLP

Defend Trade Secrets Act Passes Congress

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With President Obama’s signature expected, DTSA will allow for new federal civil suits, ex parte seizures, and whistleblower protections. After unanimously passing the Senate earlier this month, the Defend Trade...more

Foley & Lardner LLP

SEC Blows the Whistle on Confidentiality Agreements

Foley & Lardner LLP on

Thanks to a recent enforcement action brought by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), it may be time to review and revise the confidentiality provisions in employment agreements, severance agreements, employee...more

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