Over 7,200 former Meta employees' confidentiality agreements found unlawful

[Attilatheblond]

Score one for workers who would like to use facts and truth in efforts to unionize.

link:https://mashable.com/article/meta-nlrb-confidentiality-non-disclosure-agreement-employee-union|]

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has thrown out Meta's non-disparagement and confidentiality agreements with over 7,000 former employees. It turns out that barring workers from criticising a company can have an unlawfully negative effect on their ability to unionise.

In a 19-page ruling on Friday, NLRB judge Andrew S. Gollin found that the non-disparagement and confidentiality sections in Meta's separation agreements unlawfully restricted workers' legally protected right to organise. This case particularly concerned over 7,000 former Meta employees who were laid off during its 2022 mass layoffs, the vast majority of whom had signed the 11-page separation agreement offered by the company.

Under this separation agreement, employees who were laid off would receive "enhanced severance pay" and other benefits. In exchange, they were prohibited from disparaging, criticising, or making "otherwise detrimental comments" about any of Meta's products, its "business affairs, operation, management and financial condition"; or the circumstances in which they left the company formerly known as Facebook. The separation agreement further stipulated that former employees were not permitted to disclose the agreement's terms.

These non-disparagement and confidentiality sections were accused of interfering with workers' rights to unionise, as Meta had put in place "rules that prohibit employees from discussing wages, hours, or other terms or conditions of employment."

[Attilatheblond]

1. Posted with love and appreciation to Omaha Steve

He has been a beacon for workers in this nation, and we are all better for his efforts.