Newsletter: October 2022
Dear Friend,
We are proud to share that the Speak Out Act was passed in the Senate and will head to the House for final passage next. The legislation would prohibit the use of predispute nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) in cases of sexual harassment and assault in the workplace.
Passed by unanimous consent, the bipartisan legislation follows our Ending Forced Arbitration for Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act, which was signed into law earlier this year. At a time when our lawmakers do not seem to agree on much, it is gratifying to have support from both sides of the aisle, and to know that we are close to ending the use of another silencing mechanism that has driven so many survivors into the shadows and from their chosen careers.
In addition to meeting with lawmakers about the legislation, we have been busy participating in some exciting events:
October 11: Julie was the featured guest on Pro Politics with Zac McCrary, where she discussed her work in politics and at Fox News before co-founding Lift Our Voices.
October 12: Gretchen joined Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-IL) for “Silenced No More: Survivors Speak,” a discussion hosted by the Chicago Bar Association about the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act.
October 18: Women, Influence & Power in Law hosted a discussion with Gretchen and attorney Andowah Newton about the tough decision to speak out about harassment and leading the fight against forced arbitration.
October 19: Gretchen and Julie participated in an event hosted by Extraordinary Women on Boards (EWOB) and Madam Chair, where they spoke to female executives and board members about the need to eradicate silencing mechanisms in the workplace.
October 21: Julie joined The Michael Steele Podcast to talk about the fight against workplace toxicity and other issues.
We are hopeful that the Speak Out Act will have a final vote and become law before the end of the year. With your support, we will be working every day to advocate for this important law, and to continue “speaking out” about workplace harassment and abuse.
Thank you,
— Gretchen Carlson & Julie Roginsky | Co-founders, Lift Our Voices