Does the Dog Haus Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure Agreement prohibit activities protected by the National Labor Relations Act?
Dog_Haus Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
- 11.7 No Restriction.
Nothing in this Article 11 is intended to prohibit or restrict any activity which prohibition or restriction violates Franchisee's employees' rights to engage in protected concerted activity under the National Labor Relations Act.
12. ACCOUNTING AND RECORDS.
- 12.1 General Reporting.
Source: Item 15 — OBLIGATION TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ACTUAL OPERATION OF THE FRANCHISE BUSINESS (FDD pages 61–62)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Dog Haus's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements are not intended to restrict activities protected by the National Labor Relations Act. This applies both to franchisees and their employees.
Specifically, Item 22 of the FDD states that nothing in Article 11, which covers confidential information, is intended to prohibit or restrict any activity that violates a franchisee's employees' rights to engage in protected concerted activity under the National Labor Relations Act. Similarly, Item 23 states that nothing in Article 2, related to general terms, is intended to prohibit or restrict any activity that violates a recipient's rights to engage in protected concerted activity under the National Labor Relations Act.
This means that while Dog Haus franchisees and their employees are required to maintain the confidentiality of Dog Haus's trade secrets and other confidential information, they are still free to engage in activities protected by the National Labor Relations Act, such as discussing wages, working conditions, or unionizing efforts. This provision aims to ensure compliance with federal labor laws and protect the rights of employees and franchisees.