What is the Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016?

The Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016 (DTSA) is a federal law that protects trade secrets in Mississippi and throughout the United States. It provides a uniform set of procedures to help protect businesses from misappropriation of their trade secrets, such as confidential information or proprietary know-how. The DTSA creates a federal cause of action for trade secret misappropriation, allowing trade secret owners to sue in federal court. It also allows whistleblowers in Mississippi to make certain limited exceptions for disclosing trade secrets to a government official or attorney for reporting or investigating a violation of law. The DTSA also contains a separate whistleblower protection provision that prohibits employers from seeking to retaliate against employees, or any other person related to the employer, who discloses a trade secret in furtherance of a legal claim. The provision grants immunity from civil and criminal liability to employees who disclose trade secrets for this purpose. The provision also includes a private right of action for employees subject to retaliatory action, allowing them to sue for damages and equitable relief. Overall, the DTSA allows Mississippi-based businesses to protect their trade secrets in federal court and provides whistleblower immunity protections for Mississippi employees who disclose trade secrets in certain limited contexts. The DTSA is an important piece of legislation that provides a strong incentive for businesses to invest in Mississippi and helps to protect the rights of whistleblowers across the Magnolia State.

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What is the Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016?

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