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Employee Confidentiality Agreement
Free employee confidentiality agreement template — an ongoing obligation not to disclose the employer's trade secrets and confidential information.
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This free employee confidentiality agreement covers 1. Confidential Information, 2. Obligations, 3. Duration, 4. Return of Materials, 5. Exceptions with 3 clearly marked [placeholder] fields to fill in — built for small business owners and first-time managers handling an HR moment professionally without a dedicated HR department to lean on. Copy it into your own word processor, fill in the placeholders, and review it — or adapt it — before use. It's part of docstoc's free document template library, alongside business, legal, real estate, finance, and HR templates. Every template here is free to copy with no signup required, and each one carries a plain disclaimer: this is a starting point for informational purposes, not a substitute for advice from a licensed professional in your jurisdiction.
Employee Confidentiality Agreement
Company: [Company Name] Employee: [Name] Date: [Date]
1. Confidential Information
"Confidential Information" includes trade secrets, customer lists, pricing, business plans, source code, and other non-public information Employee learns during employment.
2. Obligations
Employee will: keep Confidential Information private, use it only for Company's benefit while employed, and not disclose it to anyone outside the Company without authorization.
3. Duration
This obligation continues both during employment and indefinitely after it ends, for as long as the information remains genuinely confidential (not publicly known).
4. Return of Materials
Upon termination, Employee will return all Company documents, devices, and materials containing Confidential Information.
5. Exceptions
This Agreement does not restrict Employee from discussing their own wages, hours, or working conditions with coworkers, or from reporting suspected illegal activity to a government agency.
6. Remedies
Employee acknowledges that breach may cause irreparable harm, entitling Company to injunctive relief in addition to damages.
Company: ______________________ Date: ____________ Employee: ______________________ Date: ____________
*This document is provided for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Section 5's carve-outs aren't optional extras — in the US, overly broad confidentiality language that could be read to prohibit discussing wages/working conditions has been found to violate the NLRA, even at non-union workplaces.*
Edit directly in the box above. Download PDF anytime — the docstoc.io footer is always included and cannot be removed.
What's included
- Edit online — click the document, fill in placeholders, download a PDF
- 6 standard sections: 1. Confidential Information, 2. Obligations, 3. Duration, 4. Return of Materials, 5. Exceptions, 6. Remedies
- 3 clearly marked [placeholder] fields for quick personalizing
- Free to use — no account or signup required
- Fully editable — adjust any clause to match your actual situation
- Includes a signature block, ready to print or sign digitally
- Fixed docstoc.io footer on every PDF (not removable)
Who this template is for
Freelancers & solo founders
Handling routine business paperwork without commissioning custom legal drafting for every document.
Small businesses
Standardizing recurring documents — leases, agreements, notices — across a growing operation.
Anyone reviewing before signing
Using a clear starting structure to understand what a document should cover, even if a lawyer finalizes it.
Growing teams
Formalizing hiring and performance processes as a company adds its first employees.
FAQ
Is this employee confidentiality agreement template really free?
Yes. Like every template in docstoc's library, this employee confidentiality agreement is free to use, with no account or signup needed to view, edit, or download it.
What does this employee confidentiality agreement cover?
This hr template includes 1. Confidential Information, 2. Obligations, 3. Duration, 4. Return of Materials. Fill in the [bracketed] placeholders, edit any clause online, then download a PDF — the docstoc.io footer stays on every export.
Is this legal advice?
No. This follows common HR practice, but requirements around notice, classification, and required disclosures shift by state and change over time. Get an employment attorney or HR professional to confirm compliance for your specific situation before relying on it.
Can I edit the wording?
Yes. All 3 placeholder fields and every clause are editable right on the page — change what doesn't fit, then download an updated PDF anytime.
Where can I find more free templates like this?
Browse more free hr and related document templates in the docstoc library at /document-templates/.
More free document templates
- Employee Offer Letter
- Employee Written Warning / Disciplinary Notice
- Employment Agreement
- Cover Letter
- Employee Handbook Outline
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Why use this instead of a generic template
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Legality
Templates are drafted for general use, not a substitute for legal advice — check the note on each page for specifics.
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Speed
Copy the subject and body directly — no form to fill in, no export step, no waiting on a download link.
Mobile-friendly
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