Findings — Us Code Code § 19401
Us Code Code § 19401 — Findings. Reproduced from the official United States Code, with a citation summary, verification link, and related provisions.
§ 19401. Findings
Congress finds the following:
(1) Sexual harassment and assault remain pervasive in the workplace and throughout civic society, affecting millions of Americans.
(2) Eighty-one percent of women and 43 percent of men have experienced some form of sexual harassment or assault throughout their lifetime.
(3) One in 3 women has faced sexual harassment in the workplace during her career, and an estimated 87 to 94 percent of those who experience sexual harassment never file a formal complaint.
(4) Sexual harassment in the workplace forces many women to leave their occupation or industry, or pass up opportunities for advancement.
(5) In order to combat sexual harassment and assault, it is essential that victims and survivors have the freedom to report and publicly disclose their abuse.
(6) Nondisclosure and nondisparagement provisions in agreements between employers and current, former, and prospective employees, and independent contractors, and between providers of goods and services and consumers, can perpetuate illegal conduct by silencing those who are survivors of illegal sexual harassment and assault or illegal retaliation, or have knowledge of such conduct, while shielding perpetrators and enabling them to continue their abuse.
(7) Prohibiting nondisclosure and nondisparagement clauses will empower survivors to come forward, hold perpetrators accountable for abuse, improve transparency around illegal conduct, enable the pursuit of justice, and make workplaces safer and more productive for everyone.
(Pub. L. 117–224, §2, Dec. 7, 2022, 136 Stat. 2290.)
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Short Title
Pub. L. 117–224, §1, Dec. 7, 2022, 136 Stat. 2290, provided that: "This Act [enacting this chapter] may be cited as the 'Speak Out Act'."
About This Section
42 U.S.C. § 19401 is part of Title 42 of the United States Code. The United States Code is the official codification of federal statutes maintained by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives. Congress amends the Code through new public laws, which are eventually incorporated into the relevant title.
This section may be cited in legal writing as 42 U.S.C. § 19401. For the most current official text, including any recent amendments, use the official source links below. Do not rely on this page as the sole authority for legal citation or litigation.
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