蜜芽传媒

Vanessa Hewitt worked as a cook at a council-run restaurant. When she offered to take voluntary redundancy, she was asked to sign a settlement agreement.

The 12-page legal document 鈥� known as a settlement agreement - contained clauses preventing her from speaking out about her work.

Ms Hewitt said over 50 members of staff had left the council over the past two years due to 鈥榖ullying鈥� and she believes the council wanted to keep this quiet. She refused to sign the document - and was still able to get her redundancy package; 鈥淚t leaves me with the question 鈥� why did they want to gag me? They claim the council is transparent 鈥� if that is the case, why did they want to gag me?鈥�

Swanley Town Council in Kent deny that they were trying to stifle debate over workplace problems. They said settlement agreements are voluntary, with the aim of trying to ensure staff can leave in a mutually acceptable way. The council said it was common for the agreements to contain confidentiality clauses 鈥� which, they said, was of benefit to employer and employee.

This clip is from 5 live Investigates Sunday 3 April 2016.

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