Actors’ Equity Association Secures Release from Non-Disclosure Agreements for Members Who Worked Under Abusive Employer

Actors’ Equity Association has reached an agreement with The Broadway League that releases its members who worked on several Broadway productions from non-disclosure agreements they signed that prohibited them from speaking about workplace abuses from producer Scott Rudin. Equity first called for this change when Rudin was accused by former assistants last year of abusive workplace behavior, and it became clear that NDAs were preventing far more workers from speaking out.

The League also agrees that going forward its members will only use non-disclosure language in contracts or riders in limited, approved circumstances, such as protecting intellectual property or financial information. Producing members of The Broadway League may no longer use NDAs to silence actors and stage managers who want to speak out against workplace harassment, bullying or discrimination. Equity intends to bring similarly protective language forward in negotiations with their other bargaining partners in support of creating a new industry standard.

“As new shows develop, we understand that sometimes NDAs are necessary to protect these works in progress,” said Al Vincent, Jr., executive director of Actors’ Equity Association. “However, NDAs may not and will not be used to protect anyone from the consequences of their own bad behavior. This settlement is a major step in ensuring they will not be used in that way again.” Read more.