An agency promise that information will not be divulged is of no effect when the information is subject to the Public Disclosure Act and is not otherwise exempted from disclosure.
1. The Washington Court of Appeals has ruled that a settlement agreement between a city and a former city fire chief is a public record and must be disclosed, even though the agreement specified that it was to remain confidential.2. A Washington superior court has ruled that a confidentiality clause in a conciliation agreement settling a sex discrimination claim cannot be invoked to block disclosure required by the Public Records Act.
3. A confidentiality clause in an agreement settling a wrongful discharge dispute between a former employee and a public transit board has been held void as contrary to public policy and the Public Records Act.