The law change that could transform toxic workplaces – podcast

https://www.theguardian.com/news/audio/2025/jul/15/the-law-change-that-could-transform-toxic-workplaces-podcast

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Zelda Perkins was Harvey Weinstein’s PA – and has spent the last eight years campaigning against the non-disclosure agreements used to silence abused employees. Now she has won a major victory. Alexandra Topping reports

Non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) were created to stop sensitive commercial information being shared. But the MeToo movement – and the crimes of Harvey Weinstein – shone a light on how the contracts were being used to silence victims of workplace abuse.

Zelda Perkins was Harvey Weinstein’s PA. When she broke the NDA that stopped her from talking about her terrible experiences with the film mogul she helped galvanise the MeToo movement. Since then she has been campaigning against the use of NDAs, which she says have helped cover up abuse in the workplace and allow powerful people to escape the consequences of their actions.

Alexandra Topping tells Nosheen Iqbal how widespread the use of NDAs has become in British workplaces and how a change in the law could help put an end to them being misused. She explains how allowing employees to speak out could help change workplace culture for the better.