Companies in California and throughout the nation most likely have trade secrets that they need to protect. This can be done in a variety of ways including telling employees what they can and cannot share with others. Furthermore, the consequences for sharing protected information should be made clear in an employment contract. In the event that trade secret rights are violated, a company should take legal action quickly.
To minimize the chances that information is shared inappropriately, only certain people should have access to it. For instance, access to computer code should only be shared with key engineers or key members of the IT department. It may be a good idea to have a manager who is responsible for determining who gets to handle trade secret iformation, and when. He or she would also be responsible for creating a chain of custody logs and other security measures needed to protect vital information.
When an employee leaves the company, that person should immediately lose access to all computer systems and other technology. In addition, companies should ensure that they do whatever they can to retain their best workers. Doing so may be easier when an employee and an employer share the same or similar values. Ultimately, an individual will be less likely to try to harm a former employer when he or she has a good relationship with a company.
An attorney may be able to help with trademark infringement litigation or other issues related to trade secret and intellectual property rights. In some cases, a company may be entitled to compensation if stolen information is used by another person or organization for that party’s benefit. However, infringement cases might be resolved in an amicable manner through a licensing deal or other efforts by the parties involved to work together.