NDAs/sworn to secrecy

[konapoppy]

Inspired by events in my life, I’m curious if you have ever had to sign a NDA. I imagine for some it is just part of your job/day to day, but for others pretty rare!

[wanderingback]

Not regularly, but yes, which is not something I ever had considered would ever come up. Nothing very interesting though. The few times it’s happened I’ve been like huh? Ok sure!

But now this has me thinking I should ask my partner though if he’s had to since he works with famous people.

[Vespasia]

Yes, part of my job involves dealing with confidential information about clinical trials.

My org has one with each sponsor and I have a blanket agreement with my organization that covers all of my work.

ETA: I actually think mine is a CDA, I misread the post and thought it was asking about both.

[VillainV]

For my job, yes.

[circa1978]

Yes, I sign on annual blanket NDA for work and then additionally have to sign ones related to specific projects.

ETA: I work in marketing/communications and frequently deal with strategy or plans around confidential information.

[rosiebear]

Yes. I do table reads of scripts and have to sign the occasional non disclosure agreement for that.

I’ve also done product research/test group stuff and usually have to agree not to disclose info about new products.

[icedcoffee]

Nope. I’m a big nobody I guess. 😂

[fivechickens]

I accidentally click on ‘not sure’ but no I have not.

[jamaicam]

SS - I have had to sign the Official Secrets Act which is the government version of this. I believe if I break it, I can be charged with treason!

[sproctopus]

If anyone here clicked yes, please tell us more.

[sent]

I have not, but it's rumored that those who sold their practices to private equity had to sign one. Because no doctors that sold ever mention a single negative thing when rumors swirl. It's always sunshine and rainbows.

[wanderingback]

Feb 3, 2024 18:54:13 GMT -5 sproctopus said:

If anyone here clicked yes, please tell us more.

To be honest I don’t really remember all of them, but they’ve all been related to consulting type work I do, mostly related to abortion care. So before certain meetings with certain people or organizations who are doing certain things they’ve asked me to sign a nda. I’ve worked with a few "political celebrities" and have never been asked to sign a nda for that work.

Eta: oh wait, I do think I had to sign one before I went to a meeting /gathering/ info sharing session re: abortion at a well known person’s house. We had to sign a nda and we couldn’t take pictures or post anything on social media.

[Saudade]

Feb 3, 2024 18:54:13 GMT -5 sproctopus said:

If anyone here clicked yes, please tell us more.

When I was working locums I had to sign a NDA at one of the sites I was at. I was there for only two days. I had zero access to anything. Couldn't even get into the space I was working. Seemed rather ridiculous to me. I'm not sure what they were worried about me seeing.

[sunnysally]

I work in pharma so have had to sign NDAs at every job I've had and additional NDAs on certain projects when I worked in R&D.

[pumpkin]

My 1st year out of college I worked for a small manufacturing co. who had some pretty big domestic and foreign government contracts and had to sign an NDA.

[JayhawkGirl]

I mean never before a hot date or anything 😂
But professionally yeah - I had a blanket one for general work and then manufacturers had me sign occasionally before briefings

[ZitchDog]

It's not sexy, just related to a job separation agreement and protecting a former company's trade secrets. Since I got severance in return and I am a big nobody IRL, it was an agreement that works for me.

[sproctopus]

I was just kidding! I just wanted to be nosey and see who'd spill the beans 😂

[Jalapeñomel]

Yes, I have.

[konapoppy]

Feb 3, 2024 19:26:17 GMT -5 sproctopus said:

I was just kidding! I just wanted to be nosey and see who'd spill the beans 😂

🤣🤣🤣

[k3am]

I sign at least one a week in a profession capacity. I’ve signed a handful in a personal capacity.

[SusanBAnthony]

I have a general one that's probably meaningless. People involved in actual secret stuff have to ignore specific ones (usually acquisition related).

[mae0111]

Yes I’ve always had NDAs at my jobs. My latest client requires an NDA because of their clients. I technically don’t have any client access, but it’s a small company so they discuss client issues amongst themselves, so I hear everything.

[fernweh]

Feb 3, 2024 18:54:13 GMT -5 sproctopus said:

If anyone here clicked yes, please tell us more.

Mine is pretty boring - I work for an auto manufacturer. A few years ago I was on the launch team for a new product. I had to sign an NDA saying I won’t take/distribute photos or discuss new features.

There wasn’t a financial penalty to it, but I would have been terminated.

[tacokick]

Yes! Quite a few! I was on a reality show, I’ve worked with famous people/hosted events with famous people, I’ve worked on product development and tested products before they come out. I’ve signed some when I’ve been on podcasts and tv.

[basilosaurus]

Aren't these now considered not enforceable? It's more a fear situation on those without much power. That's not too say people didn't sign them of course

[tacokick]

Feb 3, 2024 23:08:12 GMT -5 basilosaurus said:

Aren't these now considered not enforceable? It's more a fear situation on those without much power. That's not too say people didn't sign them of course

It can vary state to state how enforceable they are. California is supposedly really picky about them but yeah, it’s basically to bully you into not talking because who wants to go to court over breaking one?

[Nonny]

Feb 3, 2024 23:08:12 GMT -5 basilosaurus said:

Aren't these now considered not enforceable? It's more a fear situation on those without much power. That's not too say people didn't sign them of course

Are you thinking of non-compete clauses? Because those are becoming less enforceable.

I think the only non-disclosure agreements becoming less enforceable have to do with companies who were trying to stop discrimination lawsuits (rather than protect trade secrets).

[thejen626]

Yes. There was a situation at my job. Long story short, my supervisor was great but another guy on our team was a fucking asshole. There was a lot of sexual harassment, and just general jerkiness, coming from this one guy. I reported a personal instance, and a few weeks later, I got called in to my boss’s office and the HR person was also there. They were letting me go, and offered me a fat severance if I signed an NDA right then. The other option was to take the paperwork to have an attorney review it, BUT then I wouldn’t get the severance. So I just signed it and walked away.

The bad dude still works there and has been promoted multiple times. 🫠

[ellipses84]

I’ve had to sign NDAs when leaving a company or taking severance. Depending on a client and their level of security there are often NDA like terms in our project contracts and extra acknowledgements for all staff who will access documents (like high security federal / military stuff or highly competitive industries where we may provide services to competitors). One client made my old firm wall off a section of the open office and put card readers on the doors. Only specific people were allowed in that area and documents couldn’t leave it.

DH works somewhere a lot of famous people go to, and he’s never had to sign an NDA. He can talk about interactions afterwards, but if he were to share anything on social media, ask for a photo without them offering, or tell anyone about it in advance, he would 💯 get fired. They have lots of security and very few people know ahead of time if someone really famous will be there.