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Trump Administration Proposes Mandatory NDAs for All Federal Workers — What It Means for You
The Office of Personnel Management is proposing to require every federal employee — current and former — to sign nondisclosure agreements. Here's what Hampton VA employees need to know and what to do before the comment window closes.
The Trump administration has proposed requiring every federal government employee — current and former — to sign a nondisclosure agreement (NDA). If you work for the federal government, including here at Hampton VA Healthcare System, this proposal directly affects your rights. Here’s what we know and what you can do.
⏱ Comment deadline: June 26, 2026
Use our one-click form — takes under 2 minutes. No account required. You can submit anonymously.
What Changed
On May 26, 2026, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) posted a draft notice to the Federal Register proposing a government-wide NDA policy. The 30-day public comment period is now open.
Under the proposal:
- All current federal employees would be required to sign NDAs restricting disclosure of “non-public, confidential, or proprietary information.”
- Former federal employees would need written permission from their agency to speak to journalists — even after they leave government service.
- Violations could cost you financially. The draft suggests that employees who break an NDA could forfeit any “royalties” or compensation connected to that disclosure. Additional penalties are unclear and may be defined after the comment period closes.
OPM claims the policy would “promote consistency across Government” and “better protect confidential information.” The administration has pointed to unauthorized disclosures about a U.S. military raid in Venezuela as justification — a claim disputed by New York Times Executive Editor Joe Kahn.
What This Means for Hampton VAMC Employees
The implications for VA employees are serious:
Whistleblower protections could be gutted. Federal law — including the Whistleblower Protection Act — already protects employees who report waste, fraud, and abuse. But broad NDA language could create legal confusion about what’s protected and what isn’t, making employees hesitant to speak up even when the law is on their side.
Your union rights may be implicated. Under our Master Collective Bargaining Agreement (MCBA), employees retain rights to union representation and protected concerted activity. Any NDA that chills your ability to report workplace conditions, safety concerns, or management misconduct runs directly against those protections.
The chilling effect is real. You don’t have to technically violate an NDA for it to change your behavior. If signing a document creates fear of retaliation, that fear itself is the harm — and that’s exactly what press freedom advocates say this administration intends.
Lauren Harper of the Freedom of the Press Foundation said it plainly: the policy “would kneecap whistleblower protections, undermine the First Amendment, and wrongly inhibit the public’s right to know.”
What Members Can Do
1. Submit a public comment. The 30-day comment window is open now. OPM is required to consider public comments before finalizing the rule. Tell them you oppose mandatory NDAs for federal workers. Use our one-click comment form: Submit your comment here → — takes less than 2 minutes. Or go directly to regulations.gov and search docket OPM-2026-0100.
2. Contact your representatives. Let your congressional representatives know you oppose this policy. The more they hear from federal employees directly, the harder it becomes to ignore.
3. Talk to your union. If you receive pressure to sign any NDA — now or as part of this policy if it’s finalized — contact AFGE Local 2328 before you sign anything. We can advise you and, if needed, connect you with legal resources.
4. Know your rights now. Under the Whistleblower Protection Act and the No FEAR Act, federal employees have legal protections for reporting fraud, waste, abuse, and violations of law. Those protections do not disappear because an employer hands you a form.
Sources
- Truthout: Trump White House Advances Plan Requiring Federal Workers to Sign NDAs (May 2026)
- Freedom of the Press Foundation: Trump’s government-wide NDA seeks to silence whistleblowers (May 26, 2026)
- OPM Draft Notice — Federal Register Pre-Publication
- Washington Post: Trump administration proposes expansive NDAs for all federal workers
In solidarity, AFGE Local 2328 — Representing the employees of Hampton VA Healthcare System