Restrictive Covenant Agreements-“Buyer Beware!”

Restrictive Covenant Agreements

 

            Restrictive covenant agreements are a useful tool for any business wanting to protect their interests and assets with current and past employees.  These types of agreements commonly involve matters concerning trade secrets, non-disclosure, non-solicitation, confidentiality, and non-competition clauses. Some of these types of agreements are stand alone or are a part of an employment contract or severance package. So long as reasonable, Michigan law allows for non-compete agreements in employment (See Michigan Antitrust Reform Act, MCL 445.774a). In general, restrictive covenant agreements attempt to restrict employees who are currently employed and after a separation of employment from doing something or not doing something that they otherwise may have had a legal right to do. The most common practice of employers is to provide a restrictive covenant agreement at the time of the offer of employment or hire, but, under current Michigan case law, employers can require employees to sign a restrictive covenant agreement after the employee has already been hired. Far too often, employees are too eager to take an offer of employment and/or want to continue their employment with a business and, unfortunately, employees do not spend enough time reviewing these restrictive covenant agreements, and, it’s not until they separate their employment with a business do they realize the quagmire they might be in, especially in cases involving non-competes. Before signing any of these types of agreements, individuals should seek legal counsel for advice.  .

Federal Trademarks: Protecting Your Business Name, Logo, Products or Services

A trademark is a brand name.  A trademark or service mark includes any word, name, symbol, device, or any combination, used or intended to be used to identify and distinguish the goods/services of one seller or provider from those of others, and to indicate the source of the goods/services.  Although federal registration of a mark is not mandatory, it has several advantages, including notice to the public of the registrant’s claim of ownership of the mark, legal presumption of ownership nationwide, and exclusive right to use the mark on or in connection with the goods/services listed in the registration. Federally registered trademarks are national in scope, regardless of the actual geographic use made by the mark.

Advantages To Having a Federally Registered Trademark

Additional substantive benefits received through federal registration include, but are not limited to:

  • The ability to recover profits, damages and costs for infringement, including the possibility of receiving treble damages in certain circumstances;
  • The ability to recover attorneys’ fees in infringement actions;
  • The right to use the ® symbol in connection with the mark, which may deter potential infringers;
  • Federal registration also makes it easier to prove an allegation of trademark infringement by providing prima facie evidence of trademark ownership and use.

The law firm of Seth T. Seidell provides federal trademark legal services at reasonable and affordable fixed rates.

Source:            www.uspto.gov.

Mistakes made by Employers that a Plaintiff’s Lawyer Loves to See

There are certain mistakes made by employers that a plaintiff’s lawyer loves to discover. Below is a short list of common errors made by employers in the workplace that are avoidable.

Pre-Employment Mistakes

  • Failure to conduct an adequate background check
  • Inconsistent recruiting and hiring practices
  • Inappropriate interview questions

Mistakes During Employment

  • Failure to pay and identify exempt vs. non-exempt employees
  • Failure to implement, disseminate, and follow personnel policies or procedures
  • Failure to train employees
  • Failure to provide job descriptions
  • Failure to document promptly and accurately discipline or performance issues
  • Failure to provide employee performance reviews
  • Failure to provide employees notice under state or federal law when the law requires

Post-Termination Mistakes

  • Not conducting exit interviews
  • Not making timely payments of all wages due the employee
  • Inappropriate internal and external comments
  • Failure to provide post-termination required notices under state or federal law

.