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Regulatory Sanctions

Tech Company Violated Federal Laws Protecting Potential Whistleblowers

December 20, 2016

Virginia-based NeuStar agreed to pay a $180,000 fine to settle SEC charges that its severance agreements impeded at least one former employee from communicating information to the SEC -  violating a whistleblower protection rule in the federal securities laws.

 

From 2011 to May 2015, the firm routinely entered into severance agreements that contained a broad non-disparagement clause forbidding former employees from engaging with the SEC and other regulators “in any communication that disparages, denigrates, maligns or impugns” the company.  Former employees who breached the clause could be compelled to forfeit all but $100 of their severance pay. 

 

NeuStar voluntarily revised its severance agreements promptly after the SEC began investigating, and it agreed to make reasonable efforts to inform those who signed the severance agreements that NeuStar does not prohibit former employees from communicating any concerns about potential violations of law or regulation to the SEC.