What are the consequences if a Canine Dimensions administrative assistant reveals confidential information?
Canine_Dimensions Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
A. ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION
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- Employee acknowledges and agrees that Employer is engaged in a highly competitive business and that Employer and Franchisor (as defined below) possess trade secrets, confidential and proprietary information (the "Confidential Information") which have been acquired, developed and maintained at considerable cost to Employer and Franchisor, which is not generally known outside the companies, and which, if disclosed to a competitor, would be harmful to Employer and/or Franchisor. For the purposes of this Agreement, "Franchisor" shall be defined to include Canine Dimensions Franchising, LLC, whose principal place of business is 23208 Sanabria Loop, Bonita Springs, Florida 34135. This Confidential Information includes, but is not limited to the following:
- a. price lists and marketing plans and strategies;
- b. proprietary computer software functions, capabilities, code, manuals, fixes, work arounds, revision plans, etc.;
- c. customer lists, customer identities, customer contacts and customer preferences (including identities and plans for approaching potential customers);
- d. any and all information contained in the Confidential Manual;
- e. all forms, instructions, processes, procedures, graphics, pictures, diagrams associated with operation of the Franchised Business;
- f. suppliers and vendors of Franchisor.
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- Employee understands and acknowledges that during the course of his employment by the Employer he has learned of, will learn of (and may develop), and has and will have access to Confidential Information of the Employer and Franchisor in order to properly and effectively discharge his duties.
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- Employee hereby agrees that at all times, both during Employee's employment and after the termination thereof (for whatever reason, and whether voluntary or not), Employee will maintain the secrecy and confidentiality of the Confidential Information and that he will not reveal, disclose, divulge or make known to any person or entity, or copy or use for his own account, any of the Confidential Information as defined above.
Source: Item 15 — OBLIGATION TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ACTUAL OPERATION OF THE FRANCHISED BUSINESS (FDD page 27)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Canine Dimensions' 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, employees, including administrative assistants, are bound by confidentiality agreements. These agreements acknowledge that Canine Dimensions possesses trade secrets and confidential information that are costly to maintain and would be harmful if disclosed to competitors. This information includes price lists, marketing plans, software details, customer lists, and information contained in the Confidential Manual, forms, processes, and supplier information.
During their employment and after termination, employees must maintain the secrecy of this confidential information. They are prohibited from revealing, disclosing, divulging, or making known any of this information to any person or entity. They are also barred from copying or using the confidential information for their own benefit.
While the FDD excerpt outlines the employee's obligations, it does not explicitly detail the specific legal or financial consequences an administrative assistant would face for violating the confidentiality agreement. It states that disclosing confidential information would be "harmful" to Canine Dimensions and the franchisee, implying potential legal action to recover damages or seek injunctive relief to prevent further disclosure.
Prospective Canine Dimensions franchisees should seek clarification from the franchisor regarding the specific penalties or legal actions that could arise from a breach of confidentiality by an employee. Understanding these potential liabilities is crucial for managing risk and ensuring compliance within their franchise operation.