New California law limits some workplace secret settlements

By ADAM BEAM
Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A new law in California bans secret settlements in most workplace harassment and discrimination cases. A 2018 California law banned secret settlements involving sexual harassment, discrimination or assault. But the law Gov. Gavin Newsom signed on Thursday bans these settlements for other types of discrimination cases, including race, religion, gender and sexual orientation. The law was inspired in part by two Black women who accused Pinterest of wage discrimination and retaliation. When the women decided to speak publicly about their experiences, state law did not protect them. Democratic state Sen. Connie Leyva wrote the law and named it the “Silenced No More Act.”