Employment in Financial Services
Contributing Editor
In a rapidly evolving regulatory landscape, employers in the financial services sector must ensure they are fully compliant with local employment rules and procedures. Helping to mitigate risk, IEL’s guide provides clear answers to the key issues facing employers in the sector
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14. Are non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) potentially lawful in your jurisdiction? If so, must they follow any particular form or rules?
14. Are non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) potentially lawful in your jurisdiction? If so, must they follow any particular form or rules?
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India
India
- at AZB & Partners
NDAs are governed by the Indian Contract Act, 1872 and are generally lawful in India.
Generally, post-contract restrictive covenants like non-compete clauses that restrain a person’s exercise of lawful trade, profession or business are declared void because of Section 27 of the Indian Contract Act.
The enforceability of NDAs may be affected if they restrain an employee from exercising a lawful profession, trade or business. Accordingly, an NDA crafted to protect the “confidential information” of the former employer but not to impose the above-mentioned restraints on the employee is saved from any clash with Section 27 of the Indian Contract Act and is, therefore, enforceable in the courts of law in India. If NDAs prohibit an employee from disclosing commercial or trade secrets, then they cannot be held to be in restraint of trade. This was observed by the Bombay High Court in VFS Global Services Pvt Ltd v Mr Suprit Roy[1].
[1] 2008 (2) BomCR 446.
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Switzerland
Switzerland
- at Walder Wyss
- at Walder Wyss
- at Walder Wyss
Non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) are generally lawful in Switzerland. However, NDAs are not regulated by statutory law and therefore do not have to follow any particular statutory form or rule. Nevertheless, most NDAs often contain a similar basic structure.
The core clauses of an NDA concern:
- manufacturing and business secrets or the scope of further confidentiality;
- the purpose of use;
- the return and destruction of devices containing confidential information; and
- post-contractual confidentiality obligations.
As a general rule, it is recommended to use the written form.
To ensure possible enforcement of an NDA in the employment context, the requirements of a post-contractual non-compete obligation (see below) must be met.
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Contributors
Belgium
Van Olmen & Wynant
Brazil
Tortoro Madureira & Ragazzi Advogados
France
DS Avocats
Germany
Kliemt.HR Lawyers
Hong Kong
Morgan Lewis & Bockius
India
AZB & Partners
Ireland
Maples Group
Isle of Man
Cains
Mexico
Marván, González Graf y González Larrazolo
Netherlands
Lexence
Singapore
TSMP Law Corporation
Switzerland
Walder Wyss
UAE
Morgan Lewis & Bockius
United Kingdom
Morgan Lewis & Bockius
United States
Morgan Lewis & Bockius
Contributors
India
AZB & Partners
Switzerland
Walder Wyss