NBC will release past employees from NDAs — and MSNBC host Rachel Maddow goes for blood

NBC News will release past employees from any non-disclosure agreements related to sexual harassment, according to a statement by the network.

MSNBC host Rachel Maddow also announced the news Friday night, and blasted her employer for its handling of prolific sexual assault accusations against the likes of former NBC host Matt Lauer, and embattled film producer Harvey Weinstein.

What are the details?

In a statement, first reported by Maddow, the network said, "Any former NBC News employee who believes that they cannot disclose their experience with sexual harassment as a result of a confidentiality or non-disparagement provision in their separation agreement should contact NBCUniversal and we will release them from that perceived obligation."

In a fiery monologue, Maddow pointed out her disgust over the allegations against Lauer and Weinstein, calling them "gut-wrenching" at best.

"The allegations about the behavior of Harvey Weinstein and Matt Lauer are gut-wrenching at baseline, no matter who you are or what your connection is to this story," she said. "But accusations people in positions of authority in this building may have been complicit in some way of shielding those guys from accountability, those accusations are very, very hard to stomach."

Maddow added that the alleged actions of executives who reportedly covered up or quashed stories of these misconduct allegations have sparked great concern in NBC employees.

"The amount of consternation this has caused among the rank and file people who work here would be almost impossible for me to overstate," she added.

What else?

Former NBC employee Megyn Kelly is among the women who have been calling for NBC to release past employees from non-disclosure agreements.

Earlier in October, Kelly banded together with Gretchen Carlson, Eleanor McManus, Greta Van Susteren, Linda Vester, and Addie Zinone and penned an impassioned open letter to the network, imploring them to release such employees from any agreements that would prohibit them from talking about their experiences with sexual misconduct.

A portion of the letter also demanded that NBC employ the services of an independent investigation counsel to examine sexual misconduct claims in the company. NBC has yet to comply with that demand, however.You can watch Maddow's remarks here.