How Weak Are Employee Nondisclosure Agreements?
In a blog post on nondisclosure agreements, Gregory W. McClune of Foley & Lardner addresses the questions: Does an employer have the legal means to prevent disclosure of information acquired during employment? Likewise, can an employer seek legal redress for such disclosures?
“Drafting and enforcing NDAs requires considerable thought, care, continual maintenance and a skilled legal advisor,” writes McClune. “It is an area rife with risks and traps; and employers who believe they can “gag” their employees, by simply requiring them to sign a broadly worded agreement with heavy penalties, may be in for a rude shock.”
His article discusses difficulties as dealing with the lack of uniformity among states in enforcing NDAs, and the lack of sympathy for employers in the courts.
