Australia's sex discrimination commissioner has urged the federal government to ban the use of non-disclosure agreements to silence people who experience sexual violence at work, including in the public sector.

Two years into her term, Dr Anna Cody called for legislation to restrict employers from using NDAs to prevent workers from speaking out about instances of harassment, discrimination or assault they may have faced on the job.

"They perpetuate a culture of silence, preventing us from identifying and addressing the drivers and barriers of workplace sexual harassment - especially when the victim-survivor is already facing systemic barriers like racism, visa insecurity and cultural stigma," Dr Cody told the National Press Club on Wednesday.

The former lawyer and academic said many com

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