The End of the Secret Settlement

News of sexual assault cases involving huge Hollywood names has been fairly rampant over recent years. Harvey Weinstein was certainly not the first person accused of sexual misconduct, but his case was a turning point. It helped the #MeToo movement gain momentum and shed light on widespread sexual abuse within the industry. While Weinstein has been convicted of two charges of criminal sexual acts, a third conviction was overturned, and a retrial has been scheduled.

Meanwhile, many media outlets have reported that rapper Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs will be released from a New Jersey prison approximately six weeks earlier due to his participation in a rehabilitation program. This news came just months after Combs took his ‘party’ mansion off the market in Los Angeles. Today, new laws in California are helping survivors speak out, and the ‘culture of fear’ that stigmatized victims is also coming to an end. If you are thinking about suing for old sexual abuse in California, one of our Los Angeles sexual assault and rape attorneys explains what you need to know.

California Silenced No More Act

California has always been a state at the forefront of progressive legislation in workplaces. In 2021, lawmakers significantly empowered employees by passing the Silenced No More Act (SB 331). The law became effective on January 1, 2022, and it restricts separation and settlement agreements from including provisions that prevent employees from speaking about unlawful retaliation, discrimination, and harassment.

Prior to the passing of the Act, California employers could use confidentiality agreements, also referred to as non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), in the hopes that employees would remain silent on matters of retaliation, discrimination, and harassment in the workplace. These agreements typically kept the details of settlements secret and hindered survivors from speaking out against their abusers. This perpetuated the culture of fear while also giving perpetrators immunity. Although there were previous laws in place that limited these provisions, the Silenced No More Act has expanded on them.

The #MeToo movement was extremely powerful, calling for accountability and exposing the prevalence of sexual harassment in the workplace. It also shed light on the use of NDAs in sexual harassment cases to suppress claims. The Silenced No More Act expands the limitations that currently exist on NDAs in sexual harassment cases to include all types of workplace harassment and discrimination under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act.

The law has significantly limited the enforceability of NDAs that restrict disclosure of factual information about unlawful workplace conduct in California, empowering survivors to tell their stories, which could possibly lead to investigations, disciplinary action, and systemic reform. It also promotes safer work environments and deters individuals from future misconduct.

The California Silenced No More Act also addresses the issues of non-disparagement clauses in separation agreements and settlement agreements. In the past, these provisions prevented both sides from making disparaging or negative remarks about the other side. The language typically seemed neutral, but it also discouraged survivors from speaking out about a toxic workplace or company culture.

The Act now requires any non-disparagement clause to include specific language that does not prohibit the employee from speaking about illegal acts in the workplace. Employees can now speak about any retaliation, discrimination, or harassment, but they may still be required to keep certain provisions, such as settlement amounts, confidential. Even if a survivor signed a confidentiality agreement in the past, the same sexual assault NDA enforceability may not hold true today. Depending on when the agreement was signed and the type of claim, prior confidentiality provisions may now be limited or unenforceable.

The latest developments: the AB 250 lookback window in Los Angeles

Lawmakers in California continue to change and refine the laws regarding sexual assault. Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 250 (AB 250) into law in 2025, and it took effect January 1, 2026. AB 250 changes the law on suing for old sexual abuse in California. The legislation created a two-year ‘lookback’ period, which allows survivors to file a claim even if the statute of limitations would have otherwise barred such legal action. Certain adult survivors now have between January 1, 2026, and December 31, 2027, to file a claim, although it does not apply to all previous cases.

The AB 250 lookback window in Los Angeles is intended to reopen certain sexual assault cases involving survivors who were adults at the time the act was committed. Survivors must be able to show that some type of suppression, concealment, or cover-up occurred that prevented them from coming forward sooner. AB 250 does not reopen all adult sexual assault cases, but it does focus on cases in which the responsible party attempted to hide their misconduct or prevent information from being disclosed.

It is also important to note that the new law primarily focuses on private defendants. It generally does not apply to public entities. Additionally, the law may allow certain employment-related claims to proceed that were previously time-barred.

For example, a lawsuit may include additional employment details such as retaliation, harassment, or wrongful termination if the sexual assault occurred in the workplace or if the actions taken by an employer were followed by a survivor’s attempt to report or disclose the incident. Under the new law, it is not only perpetrators that are held accountable, but also organizations that failed to provide victims with the protection they need.

The legislation acknowledges that survivors often require years, or even decades, to process their trauma and feel safe enough to come forward and report it. AB 250 aims to remove the procedural barriers that were previously a part of trying to silence survivors. Although the law only applies to individuals who were 18 years of age or older at the time of the misconduct, California has other laws that protect survivors who were children at the time of the abuse.

Call our sexual assault and rape attorneys in Los Angeles for compassionate legal advice

Did you sign an NDA years ago that forced you to remain silent about abuse? The law has changed, and a new window of justice opened on January 1, 2026. At Taylor & Ring, our Los Angeles sexual assault and rape attorneys will listen to your story with compassion, provide the legal advice you need, and guide you through the process of obtaining the justice you deserve. Contact our Los Angeles office for a confidential, no-cost review of your agreement and to get the legal help you need.