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Confidentiality Agreements Internal Investigations

Proskauer - Whistleblower Defense

NLRB Permits Confidentiality Restrictions During Internal Investigations

As reported in Proskauer’s Labor Relations Update blog, the NLRB issued an important opinion on December 17, 2019 relating to employer rules requiring confidentiality from employees during workplace investigations. Apogee...more

Polsinelli

Protected Activity or Terminable Misconduct? — Government Contractor Update

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It has become almost routine for employees pursuing whistleblower and other employment-related claims against their employer to engage in "self-help discovery," using their access to files and databases to collect and gather,...more

Thomas Fox - Compliance Evangelist

Tribute to Picasso: Phases of a Whistleblower Program

Just as Picasso had several phases of his career, the lifecycle of the Goldman Sachs internal whistleblower program may be getting ready to have more phases....more

Foley & Lardner LLP

Reconsidering Limits on Confidentiality Provisions Where Sexual Misconduct is Involved

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It does not require insightful analysis to conclude that something is broken when it comes to reporting and addressing sexual misconduct in the workplace. One attempt to fix part of the “brokenness” comes from the...more

Proskauer - Labor Relations Update

Circuit Court Rejects Attack On NLRB’s New Witness Rule

During the last several years, the NLRB has overturned a great deal of existing precedent. Among other changes, the Board has required bargaining over discipline in newly organized units, found graduate students to be...more

Fisher Phillips

Disclosure Danger: Employers Still Stuck With NLRB’s Witness Statement Disclosure Standard

Fisher Phillips on

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia rejected the chance yesterday to revive long-held precedent which for many years had protected employer witness statements from disclosure to unions before an arbitration...more

Mintz - Employment Viewpoints

March Vastness: Blanket Policies on Employee Salary and Discipline Disclosures Unlawful Says D.C. Circuit Court

This past week, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals issued an important decision addressing two on-the-bubble workplace confidentiality policies – one which made the cut, while the other one made its way over to the legal...more

Carlton Fields

The Chill is Gone: SEC Wants Unfettered Whistleblowers

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The SEC continues its efforts to support whistleblowers. The whistleblower program promulgated by the Commission under the Dodd-Frank Act offers rewards to individuals who report securities law violations. As we have...more

Fenwick & West LLP

“You Know How to Whistle Don’t You?”—Whistleblowers Gain Even More Protection

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The SEC recently issued guidance specifying that whistleblowers do not first have to take their concerns to the SEC in order to be covered by the SEC’s anti-retaliation rule. The guidance clarifies that those whistleblowers...more

Fenwick & West LLP

Securities Litigation and Enforcement Newsletter

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A CD or not a CD, That is the Question… That the Auditors Should Have Answered - A headline-grabbing SEC enforcement action last week against BDO USA and several of its national partners may lead audit firms to insist on...more

Foley & Lardner LLP

A Review of Recent Whistleblower Developments

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SEC Awards Another Whistleblowing Compliance Officer - On April 22, 2015, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced an award between $1.4 and $1.6 million to a compliance officer who provided information...more

Thomas Fox - Compliance Evangelist

King Arthur Week – The Green Knight and the Protection of Whistleblowers – Part IV

We continue our King Arthur themed week with an exploration of one of the most interesting characters in the Arthur canon, The Green Knight, so called because his skin and clothes are green. The meaning of his greenness has...more

WilmerHale

SEC Applies Whistleblower Interference Rule to Corporate Confidentiality Requirement

WilmerHale on

On April 1, the US Securities and Exchange Commission issued—in a settled administrative proceeding—a cease-and-desist order in In the Matter of KBR, Inc., directing that the respondent cease violating Commission Rule...more

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati

SEC Joins Agency Attack on Confidentiality Clauses in Employee-Related Agreements and Policies

In a recent enforcement action, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) took action against a company for "using improperly restrictive language in confidentiality agreements with the potential to stifle the...more

Franczek P.C.

Confidentiality Clauses Under Increasing Scrutiny by Federal Agencies

Franczek P.C. on

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has become the latest federal agency to challenge the legality of employee confidentiality requirements. Earlier this month, the SEC instituted its first administrative proceeding...more

Epstein Becker & Green

SEC Enforcement Gives Employers a Strong Incentive to Clarify That Their Confidentiality Agreements Do Not Preclude Reporting...

Epstein Becker & Green on

The Securities and Exchange Commission? (“SEC”) has resolved its first enforcement action regarding a potentially overreaching confidentiality agreement following the “voluntary” revision of the agreement to state that it...more

Blank Rome LLP

Beware of Confidentiality Agreements with Employees; Make Sure They Don’t Stifle Whistleblowing

Blank Rome LLP on

On April 1, 2015, the SEC announced its first enforcement action against a company for utilizing language in a confidentiality agreement which could discourage whistleblowing....more

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP

Corporate Investigations & White Collar Defense - April 2015

It’s Stifling in Here! SEC Rules That Companies Can’t Put Restrictive Language in Confidentiality Agreements That Could Potentially Stifle Whistleblowers - Why it matters: On April 1, 2015, the SEC announced its...more

Baker Donelson

Can You Keep a Secret? The SEC Says to Ask Carefully

Baker Donelson on

Employers have a lot to be worried about. Employees are given access to trade secrets, customer lists, financial accounts, and other highly sensitive, confidential information. Most employers attempt to deter improper use of...more

Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP

SEC Takes Aggressive Approach to Fortify Dodd-Frank’s Whistleblower Rules

On April 1, 2015, the Securities & Exchange Commission (the “SEC” or “Commission”) fined a public company $130,000 for requiring employees involved in internal investigations to sign a confidentiality agreement that the...more

Epstein Becker & Green

Five Key Issues Confronting Financial Services Industry Employers

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Employers in the financial services industry are faced with a growing number of employment law challenges. Whistleblower complaints are on the rise as regulatory agencies become more aggressive in their efforts to encourage...more

Goodwin

SEC Applies Whistleblower Protections to Confidentiality Arrangements

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Public companies should review their confidentiality arrangements for any provisions that may result in unintended violations of the Dodd-Frank Act’s whistleblower protections....more

Stoel Rives LLP

In Case You Missed It - Interesting Items for Corporate Counsel - April 2015

Stoel Rives LLP on

We knew someone would do this for us if we just waited long enough. A summary of early trends in proxy access responses suggests most are including the shareholder proposal and recommending a no vote. See here. Only a single...more

Foley & Lardner LLP

SEC Blows the Whistle on Confidentiality Agreements

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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

Winstead PC

The SEC Joins the NLRB and EEOC in the Assault on Employee Confidentiality Agreements and Policies in Workplace Investigations

Winstead PC on

On April 1, 2015, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced its first settlement of a whistleblower enforcement action against a company for using confidentiality agreements to stifle the...more

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