As an employee or independent contractor of an Itan franchisee, what must I refrain from doing with Itan's Intellectual Property or Confidential Information?

According to Itan's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, as an employee or independent contractor of an Itan franchisee, you are restricted from certain activities involving Itan's Intellectual Property and Confidential Information. Specifically, you must refrain from using the Intellectual Property or Confidential Information in any business or for any purpose other than the operation of the franchisee's Itan salon. You are also obligated to maintain the confidentiality of Confidential Information at all times and avoid making unauthorized copies of documents containing such information.

Furthermore, you must take all steps reasonably required by Itan to prevent unauthorized use or disclosure of Confidential Information. Upon termination of your employment or independent contractor relationship with the Itan franchisee, you must immediately cease using the Intellectual Property and Confidential Information. Any improvements you develop related to the Itan salon's goods, services, operations, or intellectual property must be assigned to Itan without charge, including the right for Itan to grant sublicenses. If applicable law prevents you from assigning ownership of any Improvement to Itan, then such Improvement shall be perpetually licensed by you to Itan free of charge, with full rights to use, commercialize and sublicense the same.

Intellectual Property includes Business Data, Copyrighted Materials, Improvements, Know-how, Marks, and the System. Confidential Information includes Know-How, Business Data, information in the Manual or comprising the System, the terms of the Franchise Agreement, and other concepts, ideas, trade secrets, financial information, marketing strategies, expansion strategies, studies, supplier information, customer information, franchisee information, investor information, flow charts, inventions, mask works, improvements, discoveries, standards, specifications, formulae, recipes, designs, sketches, drawings, policies, processes, procedures, methodologies and techniques, together with analyses, compilations, studies or other documents that are designated as confidential, known to be considered confidential, and/or reasonably to be considered confidential due to their nature. This ensures that the Itan system and proprietary information remain protected, benefiting both the franchisor and all franchisees within the Itan network.