Q.  Has the #MeToo Movement led to any changes on how companies settle harassment complaints?

A.  While there are numerous legislative initiatives on the horizon intended to change how employers handle harassment complaints in light of the #MeToo Movement, the most significant federal change is a little known revision to the Tax Code recently enacted.

The Tax Cuts & Jobs Act prohibits either the employer or the employee from taking a tax deduction for (1) any settlement or payment related to a sexual harassment claim that is the subject to a non-disclosure agreement; and (2) attorneys’ fees related to such settlement or payment. The intent of the statute is to discourage parties from keeping harassment claims secret and thereby reduce the risk that the alleged harasser will strike again.

The term “related to” is not defined in the statutory language. It is possible that the settlement proceeds for any claim that merely mentions the word “harassment” may not be deductible, even if the majority of the allegations involve other issues.  However, we believe that the IRS likely will allow parties to allocate the portion of the proceeds that is for settlement of harassment allegations in those cases in which harassment is part of a larger suit involving other disputes.

The impact of the deduction for attorneys’ fees also is significant. Most claimants pay their attorneys on a contingent fee basis, meaning that the settlement proceeds are split between the claimant and the attorney, often as high as 60 percent claimant/40 percent attorney.  Since proceeds from an agreement containing a nondisclosure provision cannot be deducted, this means that the employee may not be able to deduct even that part of the proceeds that goes directly to his or her attorneys.  This is true regardless whether the employer pays the attorney directly, or pays the proceeds to the employee who then pays his or her attorney.

The new rule may have several detrimental consequences to both parties and the public. As a confidentiality provision is an important component of most settlement agreements, the new tax burden will make settlements more costly.  Employers may be less interested in pursuing such settlements, resulting in harassment claims clogging the courts.  Additionally, employees who would rather keep their claims private due to the sensitive nature of the allegations will have to face the public eye.

While it remains to be seen how the IRS interprets this new provision, both employers and employees must consider the tax consequences of any agreement that they seek to keep confidential.