Part of Our Series on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017

The Tax Cuts & Jobs Act of 2017 adds a new provision to the Code, section 162(q), that eliminates deductions for settlement payments related to sexual harassment or sexual abuse “if such settlement or payment is subject to a nondisclosure requirement.”

  • The new provision also prohibits, in a separate subsection, deductions for attorney’s fees “related to such a settlement or payment.”
  • Thus, if an employee asserts a claim of sexual harassment against a coworker or supervisor, and the employer enters into an agreement to settle the claim that includes a standard confidentiality provision, neither the amount of the settlement nor any amount of the settlement allocated to attorneys’ fees can be deducted as a business expense.
  • The provision applies to payments made after December 22, 2017.

The new provision leaves several questions unresolved:

  • It does not include a definition of the phrase “related to sexual harassment or sexual abuse,” which creates uncertainty about the scope of the new prohibition, especially as applied to settlement agreements covering multiple types of employment claims in addition to sexual harassment or abuse claims.
  • It is also unclear, because of the structure of the new provision, whether the denial of a tax deduction for legal fees is independent from or contingent upon the presence of a nondisclosure clause.
  • It is unclear how the term “nondisclosure agreement” will be interpreted; for example, whether it will reach nondisparagement clauses.
  • Traditionally, plaintiff-employees have been permitted an above-the-line deduction for attorneys’ fees related to their employment claims. The new provision purports to disallow any deduction for any party to the settlement. The Act’s drafting history arguably supports a narrower interpretation, but it is hard to predict how IRS will interpret the plain language of the new provision.
Tags: nda, tax deduction, tcja
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Photo of Lindsay Burke Lindsay Burke

Lindsay Burke co-chairs the firm’s Employment Practice Group and regularly advises U.S., international, and multinational employers on employee management and culture issues and international HR compliance. She is a key member of the firm’s Institutional Culture and Social Responsibility practice, working together with…

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Photo of Tom Plotkin Tom Plotkin

Tom Plotkin advises companies on a broad range of ESG issues with a focus on social responsibility, including business and human rights, equity and civil rights, and external engagement and brand reputation.

As a member of Covington’s Business and Human Rights practice, Tom…

Tom Plotkin advises companies on a broad range of ESG issues with a focus on social responsibility, including business and human rights, equity and civil rights, and external engagement and brand reputation.

As a member of Covington’s Business and Human Rights practice, Tom advises clients on all aspects of the corporate responsibility to respect human rights, including issues related to supply chain due diligence and responsible sourcing, downstream product use and human rights impacts, and strategies for integrating human rights oversight into broader compliance programs.

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As a member of Covington’s ESG practice, Tom draws on his social responsibility portfolio to assist companies in bridging internal practices and external engagement strategies. Tom assists with public ESG reporting, responding to shareholder ESG proposals, and external stakeholder engagement.

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