Does the Canine Dimensions employee agreement specify any geographic limitations on the confidentiality obligations?
Canine_Dimensions Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
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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 22 — CONTRACTS (FDD page 36)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Canine Dimensions' 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the employee agreement does not specify geographic limitations regarding confidentiality obligations. The agreement emphasizes that employees must maintain the secrecy and confidentiality of the Confidential Information both during and after their employment, without revealing, disclosing, or using it for their own account. The Confidential Information includes price lists, marketing plans, software, customer lists, and any information contained in the Confidential Manual. This obligation extends indefinitely, without any mention of geographic boundaries.
This lack of geographic limitation means that an employee's confidentiality obligations apply regardless of where they are located. Even after leaving Canine Dimensions, an ex-employee is prohibited from disclosing confidential information anywhere in the world. This could be seen as a broad restriction, potentially limiting an employee's future career options if they involve similar work, as they must avoid using or disclosing Canine Dimensions' confidential information.
Prospective franchisees should be aware of the comprehensive nature of these confidentiality obligations, as they will be responsible for ensuring their employees understand and adhere to these terms. Franchisees should discuss with Canine Dimensions how they can best manage and enforce these confidentiality agreements to protect the franchisor's sensitive information and maintain a competitive advantage. It would be prudent to seek legal counsel to fully understand the implications of these agreements and how they might affect both the franchisee and their employees.