They are increasingly found in standard employment contracts in many industries, sometimes in a simple offer letter that helps to create a blanket of silence around a company. PhotoGoogle declined to comment on its use of nondisparagement agreements. When Mr. Caldbeck worked at Lightspeed Venture Partners, he attended board meetings at the e-commerce company Stitch Fix, on behalf of the firm. The company and Ms. Lake signed a mutual nondisparagement agreement in 2013, according to a copy of the agreement obtained by the news site Axios. Mr. Caldbeck left Lightspeed the next year, but the reason he was removed from Ms. Lake’s board was not made public.

Source: New York Times July 21, 2017 22:51 UTC