Rob Lowe wins victory over nanny
The judge has agreed with Rob Lowe regarding the confidentiality agreement he had with his former nanny. The nanny said she believed the confidentiality agreement was invalid because it violated her right to freedom of speech. Really? Then why did she sign it? It isn’t like the details she exposed were anything but gossip in nature – Boyce (the nanny) alleged Sheryl (the wife) regularly paraded around the family home naked, and had asked her about the size of her boyfriend’s penis. If she had discovered details she felt morally or ethically motivated to disclose, this might have been a real and worthwhile discussion.
Remember nannies and employers, there is a huge difference between a confidentiality clause in your contract and a real confidentiality agreement. A confidentiality agreement is legally binding and imposes a financial penalty upon the nanny if she chooses to break it. Very few nannies are asked to sign a legally binding confidentiality agreement but when they do, I feel they should honor it unless they discover something that truly is morally or ethically unacceptable.
What do you think?
Even though Nannies sign a confidentiality agreement I still think Nannies should read and ask questions before they sign. Also seek legal advise on adding clauses that protect them from Jerks like Rob Lowe and his creepy wife. Nannies need to know they have rights and what those rights are when it comes to sexual harrasment by her employers.
Jennifer Queen
July 21, 2009