Posted on 3/06/126 by Colin Vassallo
MILFORD, CT – March 5th, 2026 – Janel Grant appeared
alongside her attorney Erica O. Nolan in testifying before
Connecticut lawmakers this week, urging them to pass
legislation that would stop NDAs from being used to silence
survivors of workplace sexual misconduct.
Erica O. Nolan, Partner at Hurwitz Sagarin & Slossberg and
counsel for Ms. Grant, testified before the Connecticut
Labor and Public Employees Committee on March 3rd in support
of Senate Bill 355. The proposed bill would limit the use of
nondisclosure agreements in cases of workplace harassment
and discrimination similar to Ms. Grant’s experiences.
“For someone bound by an NDA, intimidation does not have to
be loud or obvious – it can be as simple as a letter from a
lawyer reminding a victim of what they signed,” Nolan
testified. “In Ms. Grant’s case, however, the intimidation
has been both loud and obvious. She has faced public
retaliation, exposure of her personal information, witness
intimidation, and even public mockery on national television
of what she experienced.”
Nolan described Grant as “an incredibly kind, empathetic,
and brave woman who has endured tremendous trauma at the
hands of her abusers and their enablers.”
Ms. Gant, a survivor or workplace sexual assault and human
trafficking, was forced to sign an NDA with Vince McMahon
and WWE. Since speaking out, she has faced public
retaliation. It is an experience that illustrates exactly
why Connecticut needs stronger protections for survivors.
“She has effectively been made an example of what can happen
to employees who speak out about misconduct, particularly
when the employer is one of the largest in Connecticut,”
Nolan said.
Nolan also asked lawmakers to amend the bill to allow
survivors to proceed directly to court rather than through
Connecticut’s administrative system, which imposes a 300-day
deadline that can be impossible for survivors subjected to
coercive control by powerful employers.
In addition to Nolan, Janel Grant made brief statements
about her experiences and her advocacy for the bill. In
response to questions posed by Connecticut State
Representative Anne Hughes, Janel said “I care very much
about the people working and living in fear – including
employees who are also in the same boat [as me]. So, there
is a holistic change that needs to happen… what you are
doing with this legislation is so important.”
Grant and Nolan’s testimony come as Grants federal lawsuit
against McMahon and WWE continues. The case has drawn
national attention to the use of NDAs in cases of workplace
sexual misconduct.