Federal employees would sign nondisclosure agreements to discourage them from leaking government information to the press and the public, under a proposal from the Office of Personnel Management. The OPM revealed a plan Tuesday to create an NDA form for federal workers. The notice cites examples of news outlets reporting on drafts of regulations and interagency discussions about new proposals, including the OPM’s own proposal to weaken job security for some and make it easier to terminate certain federal positions.

The truth is simpler: #MeToo did not disappear. It grew up, went to work and started winning.

Congress writes the rules for every workplace in America. It should not be exempt from transparency itself. In their latest op-ed for The Hill, Lift Our Voices co-founders Gretchen Carlson and Julie Roginsky examine how secrecy, power imbalance, and institutional protection continue to shape Capitol Hill culture — and why stronger protections against NDAs and retaliation are still urgently needed.

RALIANCE sits down with Lift Our Voices co-founder Gretchen Carlson to discuss the organization’s work to eradicate silencing mechanisms in the workplace and change toxic workplace cultures through legislation, research and educational resources.

Host Barbara Zabawa welcomes Gretchen Carlson and Julie Roginsky to discuss Lift Our Voices, founded in 2019 to combat workplace silencing through forced arbitration and non-disclosure agreements that often block employees from going to court and speaking about sexual misconduct and other discrimination. Carlson describes her advocacy following her Fox News sexual harassment case and the effort to change laws, while Roginsky explains how an NDA prevented her from helping a rape survivor, motivating her to join the fight. They detail two bipartisan federal laws they helped pass: the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act (effective for misconduct after March 3, 2022) and the Speak Out Act addressing pre-dispute NDAs, plus state-level NDA bans and their broader impact. They also cite research showing NDA bans do not reduce settlements and urge workplace wellness professionals to educate employees about these legal rights.

Gretchen Carlson and Julie Roginsky, who filed sexual harassment suits against former Fox News CEO Roger Ailes and co-founded the non-profit Lift Our Voices, said that the approach has ignored those who were abused by Epstein and Maxwell.“If they actually had survivors in mind, if you were thoughtful about them, they would be able to talk to them, and then we’d be consulting subscribers and lawyers to make sure inquiries were unfolding in the way they wanted,” Carlson said.

“Nobody is doubting that Jeffrey Epstein trafficked young girls. Nobody is doubting that Jeffrey Epstein was not the only man who raped these young girls,” Roginsky said. “All we need to do is listen to these survivors as they tell us who these others are.”

No matter how much President Trump is working to remove any mention of Jeffrey Epstein from the front pages, time is working against him. 

When Congress returns in a few short weeks, after some members spent the August recess having to answer angry questions from constituents about why the administration refuses to release the oft-promised Epstein files, the spotlight will relentlessly focus on this topic again. 

“The American public is smarter than we think, because they are not demanding to hear from the survivors; they believe them. Instead they want accountability for these male predators and female predators,” says Gretchen Carlson, who nearly a decade ago filed a lawsuit against Fox News then-chairman CEO Roger Ailes, the most powerful man in media at the time, and co-founded Lift Our Voices (LOV), an organization with the mission to change toxic workplace cultures.

…But one person determined to keep survivors of sexual violence firmly at the forefront of public debate around the Epstein saga is the former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson, who received a $20m settlement from 21st Century Fox in 2016 to resolve a sexual harassment lawsuit against the Fox News chairman Roger Ailes.

The Jeffrey Epstein scandal has shut down Congress, triggered a revolt among Republicans, and left President Donald Trump grasping for distractions. 

But even though demands for the President to release the full, un-edited Epstein files grow louder by the day, no one is demanding that the survivors Epstein trafficked come forward. This admission reflects a new era of the #MeToo movement—and remarkable shift in who we believe as a society bears the responsibility for addressing the aftermath of sexual violence.

In the months since Donald Trump’s re-election last November, a narrative has taken hold that we are in the midst of a #metoo backlash, that the incredible gains survivors made over the last decade resulted in a few scalps but little lasting change.

Gretchen Carlson: The Journalist Who Defied Fox News and Exposed Workplace Abuse | E110

In 2016, former Fox News host Gretchen Carlson made a bold move that transformed the conversation around workplace harassment. After enduring years of mistreatment, she filed a lawsuit against Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes for sexual harassment. Despite the immense personal and professional risks, this courageous act helped spark the #MeToo movement, giving a voice to countless women who had suffered in silence. Now, through her nonprofit, Gretchen is working to dismantle the silencing mechanisms that allow harassment to thrive in the workplace. In this episode, Gretchen joins Ilana to share how her painful experiences fueled her mission to create safer, more inclusive environments for all.

Lift Our Voices co-founders Julie Roginsky and Gretchen Carlson call out the false narrative that this movement is dead. Spoiler: it’s NOT! Watch the full video to learn why.

Sorry, Joe Rogan. The #MeToo movement is not going away. We know because we helped launch this iteration of the #MeToo movement when we sued Fox News and its former CEO Roger Ailes for sexual harassment and retaliation even before the Harvey Weinstein scandal broke in the fall of 2017. We know because the laws we helped pass in Washington and across the country over the last several years have helped countless women receive justice. And those laws—and this movement—aren’t going away.  

It might seem like there isn't much of an overlap between Alicia Carpenter, Gretchen Carlson, Julie Roginsky and Nicole Kidman, but you'd be wrong. Despite their differing backgrounds, each is working towards the same goal — creating more inclusive workplaces for women.

Whether as the head of a production studio, a tutoring company or even a nonprofit dedicated to improving office cultures, the mission of increasing female perspectives across the working world is the same. 

For this year's Women's History Month, and in advance of International Women's Day, reporters with Employee Benefit News dove into trends impacting women in the workplace, ranging from retirement preparation to the skepticism surrounding health issues and more.

Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo resigned from office in 2021 amid a sexual harassment scandal. Now, he’s back and running for mayor of New York City. And he’s not the only one, other so-called “canceled” men from Hollywood, media and politics are being welcomed back to the public sphere. So what’s happened to the Me Too Movement? Audie talks with the founder of ‘Me Too’, Tarana Burke, and former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson, about backlash, regrets, and the work they’re doing to move forward.

New York has led the nation on many civil rights issues. But it’s falling behind in protecting survivors of workplace abuse, harassment or discrimination. States across the country have passed legislation to eradicate nondisclosure agreements for toxic workplace issues, and New York should follow suit. 

Through Lift Our Voices, co-founders Gretchen Carlson and Julie Roginsky are organizing communities to change laws and policies, advocating for survivors, and promoting awareness for a safer and more inclusive workplace environment. Gretchen and Julie joined Jaime Klein of Inspire Human Resources for "Inspired Leadership" to talk about how non-disclosure agreements and forced arbitration clauses in employee contracts can be hindering a company’s commitment to transparency. They introduce the LOV Where You Work Survey and Index, which will help companies assess and improve their practices regarding workplace harassment and discrimination.

Gen Z is reshaping the workforce, prioritizing transparency, accountability, and fairness when choosing where to work. Companies that embrace openness will not only attract top talent but also foster stronger, more engaged teams. At Lift Our Voices, we’re helping employers create workplace cultures built on trust—free from excessive NDAs and forced arbitration clauses that can deter the best and brightest. Our #LOVWhereYouWork Index provides the insights companies need to meet the expectations of today’s workforce.Want to recruit and retain the next generation of leaders? Let’s build workplaces where people feel valued and heard.

Fox News alum Gretchen Carlson and Julie Roginsky react to his confirmation. In 2022, the United States Senate voted unanimously to pass our Speak Out Act, which bans non-disclosure agreements for sexual misconduct. Last Friday, the United States Senate voted to confirm Pete Hegseth to lead the Pentagon, even though he has been credibly accused of sexual misconduct and has admitted to using a non-disclosure agreement to cover it up.