Crazy Boss Makes Employees Sign an NDA Saying They Can't Speak About Their Job For 25 Years

Author image for Emmy Pratt
Emmy Pratt • Writer and Editor
Mar 13, 2023 11:30 AM EDT

One of life's greatest pleasures is being able to complain about a job you hate. If I wasn't able to tell my close friends and family about the annoying customers and often more annoying coworkers at my customer service jobs, then I don't know how I would be able to survive. 

Even when things weren't so bad at work, it's fun to share work stories. When I worked at a dog bakery, a customer told me she owned a dog funeral parlor. I was so taken aback that all I could say was, "I'm sorry" To that, she said, "Well, someone's got to do it." Imagine if I had to just keep that story inside of me, forbidden to share it with everyone I know. That is exactly what the boss of Redditor u/throwawayeas989 is trying to do to their restaurant employees: forbid them from saying anything, positive or negative, about the company. 

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  • 01
    Font - r/antiwork u/throwawayeas989 - 19h My boss is making us sign an NDA that states we cannot speak about what we see or hear at work to anyone outside of our business for 25 years. We also are told we cannot talk about our coworkers outside of work for 25 years, and we cannot speak about the business at all. Is this normal?
    via u/throwawayeas989
  • 02
    Human body - I'm 24, and work as a server in a small restaurant with about 10-12 employees. I've been here for two years, while I've been attending university as well.
    via u/throwawayeas989
  • 03
    Font - In the past, our chef has had to sign an NDA stating that she wouldn't reveal any of our recipes or vendors. That wasn't unusual to me, and I'm pretty sure it's quite common within the restaurant business. However,we switched owners about 4 months ago, and they are telling us to sign an NDA that states we cannot speak about anything that happens at our job outside of it. I inquired more, and my boss said that we cannot speak about the business outside of work, and that we shouldn't have b
    via u/throwawayeas989
  • 04
    Font - She also used an example of a story a coworker had shared this morning, about an ex-coworker who had just been arrested. She is friend's with our old co-workers family, and didn't think twice about sharing it. Anyways, my boss said that would be illegal under our NDA. Basically, we can't talk about anything at work,or each other (past & present!) for 25 years. We have to sign it, or we will be fired. Is this..normal? My coworker is planning on calling the labor board tonight.
    via u/throwawayeas989
  • 05
    Font - Sweaty-Willingness27 • 18h EDIT: The below statement is related to non- disclosure agreements, which are the agreements I'm aware of. The OP may instead refer to a non- disparagement agreement, which is (apparently) an actual thing and is likely enforceable, to a degree. Is it worth it to sue a server, however? Most likely not at all. It does look like there are some "tips" on how to draft these, which include things like specifying definitions and damages. So if it doesn't include these,
    via u/Sweaty-Willingness27
  • 06
    Font - An NDA would only be applicable to things that would cause damage to a business based on information that would reveal things like trade secrets or proprietary information. No judge is going to honor an NDA that says you can't say you're mad at your work. Also 25 years is MUCH too long, regardless. If you can, submit a complaint to the labor board, don't sign the NDA, and find a new job. If you get fired, you should have no problem getting unemployment for such a ludicrous expectation. I
    via u/Sweaty-Willingness27
  • 07
    Font - Appropriate_Prune438 14h Anarcho-Syndicalist ● I think the idea that a server in a small restaurant needs to sign an NDA would get this laughed out of court. I'm not a lawyer, but there's no way this is worth the court's time. 4232 ...
    via u/Appropriate_Prune438
  • 08
    Cheezburger Image 9708498688
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  • 09
    Product - CaptainPRESIDENTduck 11h SocDem "The court awards the plaintiff 3 packs of White Claw." 449
    via u/CaptainPRESIDENTduck
  • 10
    Font - CommercialBox4175 18h It's certainly not reasonable or enforceable. Also, a huge red flag. Reply 344
    via u/CommercialBox4175
  • 11
    Rectangle - throwawayeas989 OP. 18h Thought it was suspicious as well. Like she was using it in a way to curb any criticism & conversation. 156
    via u/throwawayeas989
  • 12
    Font - Waywardcrafter • 17h It sounds like she already knows how she wants to break the law, and is hoping to frighten everyone into going along with this NDA. It's not enforceable as it stands. Now would be a good time to start documenting everything that goes on there, because that's some huge reg flag she's waving in everyone's faces. ... 496
    via u/Waywardcrafter
  • 13
    Font - scoopbins 19h Likely totally unenforceable. Reply 1.2k
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  • 14
    Azure - throwawayeas989 OP 18h That's what I thought. ● ... 4305
    via u/throwawayeas989
  • 15
    Font - scoopbins 16h ● Im a lawyer in the U.K. - nda is intended to protect business information / business plans etc not the type of stuff described. It's totally unenforceable - just sign it and ignore it. It's not worth the paper it's written on. Also 25 years is a joke - a legitimate nda designed to protect company confidential information (turnover / designs / business plans etc) would have a much shorter limit. The employer is clearly nuts. Any attempt to fire you for "breach" of such an n
    via u/scoopbins
  • 16
    Font - HotRodHomebody. 16h And totally indicative of a micromanaging control freak. I would seek other employment now, this can't possibly get any better. And don't sign anything you are not comfortable with. You could even have an attorney review it, but as somebody who's been in business for a long time including as an owner, this is ludicrous. I think the owner is so insecure that they are afraid of word getting out about their dysfunctional work environment. And for 25 years? You can't talk
    via u/HotRodHomebody
  • 17
    Font - Kale Revolutionary795 - 19h It's not normal. It's also not legaly binding. I'm not a lawyer, but that's obvious, especially so they don't provide any ongoing compensation. You expect to not talk to someone for 25 years ...for a paycheck 2 decades ago? Bs Reply 942
    via u/KaleRevolutionary795
  • 18
    Font - She This. SKDI 0224 18h ● I also wonder if it's because they are committing crimes. Note: any contract meant to prevent investigation into or prosecution of a crime is null and void. 380
    via u/SKDI_0224
  • 19
    Font - DaisyCalico 16h ● New owners? Makes me wonder if they're planning to use the restaurant as a front for shady or flat-out illegal activities. Reply 25 25
    via u/DaisyCalico
  • 20
    Rectangle - timallen445. 14h There are a lot of gentlemen from the waste management industry that spend all day at the restaurant 47 7 ↓ ...
    via u/timallen445

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