Protect Your Businesses Reputation and Proprietary Information
on October 28th, 2011 at 6:44 amProtect Your Businesses Reputation and Proprietary Information
By Guest Writer, Charles Blount
Recent news reports highlight collisions between personal and private online worlds. Humorous from a safe distance, online and other electronic mishaps can cause damage and embarrassment in a professional context.
Recognizing this risk, organizations are adopting policies covering online conduct. Employers should be careful, however, because implementing a policy that is too restrictive may actually create a basis for claims under labor laws.
Many businesses invest time and resources in developing a carefully crafted online presence. Also, trade secrets, confidential and otherwise crucial information are now used by and accessible to employees and contractors in electronic form. Valuable proprietary information should be protected, and so should your business’s reputation.
Organizations may benefit from establishing ground-rules concerning online and electronic issues. Having a clear policy in place satisfies three objectives:
- employees and personnel will understand and can be trained concerning boundaries, appropriate conduct, ownership and confidentiality of electronic content;
- an e-policy specifically provides for enforcement in the event a problem arises; and
- an e-policy can clearly establish ownership of materials and information that are valuable to your business.
A business may also want to consider adding data confidentiality provisions to the e-policy. Such provisions would be designed to train employees in the handling of company confidential information, audit its use and recover/secure information on termination. A data policy could also provide controls on the use of, access to and extent of distribution of particular types of confidential company materials
If you would like to discuss implementing an e-policy or if you have any other questions, please call me at 972-661-5114 or email cblount@uplawtx.com.
Visit our website at www.texstarweb.com
Charles W. Blount III
Underwood Perkins, P.C.
Board Certified-Civil Appellate Law
Texas Board of Legal Specialization
5420 LBJ Freeway, Suite 1900
Dallas, Texas 75240
(972) 661-511
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