All 11 advisors present at Wednesday’s meeting voted for the action, including Fernandes-Anderson. The action is an internal policy, not law and does not include an enforcement mechanism.

The action prohibits advisers from forcing staff to “sign or agree with any provision for non -disclosure, non -cut or confidentiality, or any other provision that tries to limit disclosure regarding illegal acts in the workplace, including but not limited to harassment, discrimination, Revenge, bullying, or other forms of misunderstanding, “according to the document.

Council President Ruthzee Louijeune, One of the two advisers Globe confirmed uses such agreements with its staffsaid that the action is intended to be a felt ban on demanding that the Council’s staff sign NDA when employed. It also prohibits advisers from trying to execute all NDAs that the Council’s employees have already signed.

She said that the purpose of the action is “to ensure that there is public confidence in the body,” Louijeune said. “The agency should maintain the highest standards that promote an environment … where the staff feel comfortable to raise worry without fear of retaliation.”

Advisor Ben Weber, who presented the proposal, said he believes that using NDAs creates the potential for threats, and does not believe that they are “good public policy.”

“By adopting this policy, we would show the public that we stand together to strengthen our employees to speak out on behalf of the public and that we not only support openness, we support our own staff,” Weber said.

Fernandes-Anderson acknowledged that she used NDA with her staff on Wednesday and said she used the same format for the document as a council colleague.

“I had an NDA. And specifically, if I talk junk about my colleagues … and I don’t agree with you, I’m like: ‘Hi, I don’t want my staff to tell my other colleagues what I say about them or the mayor, Fernandes- said Anderson. “Many of us have them, but we can get rid of them. Good, agree with you 100 percent. “

Advisor Ed Flynn proposed a change in the action and recommended that the policy apply to all city departments. The move was finally voted. Advisor Erin Murphy said that she and Flynn intend to submit legislation for the body to consider next week that would expand the policy to all city agencies.

“I think the inhabitants want us to see NDA’s excluded urban, and they do not like practice, they think it is not transparent,” Flynn said. “I think it is an important message for the residents that we take openness and we take ethics seriously, and we will do something about it.”

Niki Griswold can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her @nikigriswold.