Tech companies have relied on nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) for decades to maintain their competitive advantage, inserting confidentiality clauses into employment contracts and severance agreements in the name of protecting trade secrets. But in recent years, NDAs have become common practice across industries, in many instances giving cover to powerful people accused of harassment, or workplaces rife with misconduct.

This proliferation of NDAs in tech and beyond means that when people do choose to come forward with allegations in spite of a confidentiality agreement, they risk significant legal and financial repercussions. So in 2018, amid the #MeToo movement, California legislators passed a law that protected any workers bound by such agreements who choose to speak out about sexual misconduct or gender discrimination.