Administration proposes requiring all federal workers to sign NDAs

Article by the NBC News on May 26, 2026, By Dareh Gregorian and Sarah Dean – “The Trump administration is proposing a rule to require federal workers to sign nondisclosure agreements, according to a draft notice the Office of Personnel Management posted Tuesday.

“The rule will be officially published Wednesday, setting off a 30-day public comment period. The notice says individual “agencies would have discretion whether to use the NDA.”

“The notice says NDAs would not deter employees from making legally allowed “disclosures to Congress, an Inspector General, or other designated individuals that are protected under the Whistleblower Protection Act.”

Article by FED Week May 27, 2026 by FED Week staff – OPM Cites Leaks as Justification for New NDA; Chilling Effect Predicted. “In crafting a proposed nondisclosure agreement for government-wide use, OPM cited as justification recent leaks, but an employee union and a law firm specializing in federal employment law say that the government already has rules against such disclosures and that the form will have a chilling effect on employees’ free speech rights.”