---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 19403"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "19403"
heading: "Limitation on judicial enforceability of nondisclosure and nondisparagement contract clauses relating to sexual assault disputes and sexual harassment disputes"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/19403"
units:
  - "Chapter 164 — Speak Out Act"
---

# §19403. Limitation on judicial enforceability of nondisclosure and nondisparagement contract clauses relating to sexual assault disputes and sexual harassment disputes

- (a) **In general—** With respect to a [sexual assault dispute](/usc/42/19402.md?p=3) or [sexual harassment dispute](/usc/42/19402.md?p=4), no [nondisclosure clause](/usc/42/19402.md?p=1) or [nondisparagement clause](/usc/42/19402.md?p=2) agreed to before the dispute arises shall be judicially enforceable in instances in which conduct is alleged to have violated Federal, Tribal, or [State](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=14) law.
- (b) **Continued applicability of State law—** Nothing in this chapter shall prohibit a [State](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=14) or locality from enforcing a provision of [State](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=14) law governing nondisclosure or [nondisparagement clauses](/usc/42/19402.md?p=2) that is at least as protective of the right of an individual to speak freely, as provided by this chapter.
- (c) **Continued applicability of Federal, State, and Tribal law—** This chapter shall not be construed to supersede a provision of Federal, [State](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=14), or Tribal Law[^1] that governs the use of pseudonyms in the filing of claims involving sexual assault or [sexual harassment disputes](/usc/42/19402.md?p=4).
- (d) **Protection of trade secrets and proprietary information—** Nothing in this chapter shall prohibit an employer and an employee from protecting trade secrets or proprietary information.

## Footnotes

[^1]: So in original. Probably should not be capitalized.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 117–224, § 4, Dec. 7, 2022, 136 Stat. 2291.)