Previously in this series we’ve discussed the new Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016 (DTSA); how it can help small business owners and entrepreneurs protect their Trade Secrets, and how it will affect every else doing business in California. (See our resources page to links to these posts.)
Today’s employers, small businesses and startups included, understand that they are vulnerable to their employees and contractors.
Trade secrets are a type of Intellectual Property protection. Many small businesses assume that unless they are a high tech company or an inventor, the concept of “trade secrets” does not apply to them. However, the idea of a trade secret has always been defined very broadly. It can mean any type of confidential or secret information that gives a business a competitive edge. The most famous trade secret in the business world is the recipe for Coca Cola.