Lawsuit claims two executives forwarded hundreds of files before sending profane mass resignation email
Two staffing company employees allegedly copied hundreds of confidential files before quitting, then jumped to a competitor while still collecting paychecks from their former employer.
Employment Solutions Management Inc., the largest industrial staffing company in the United States, sued two former workers and their new employer in late October, accusing them of stealing trade secrets and poaching employees.
The case offers a look at the risks companies face when employees give notice, particularly in competitive industries where customer relationships and proprietary information matter.
Chris Bland and Theresa Graves worked in the Tulsa office of ProDrivers, a division of Employbridge that places commercial truck drivers with clients. According to the lawsuit filed October 23 in federal court in Oklahoma, Bland spent the two weeks before his resignation forwarding company files to his personal email account.
Starting September 12, Bland sent himself at least twelve emails containing more than 200 attachments with customer lists, pricing models, service contracts, and prospect information. The files allegedly included details most companies would guard: which decision-makers to contact at each client, revenue figures, billing schedules, and specifics about clients' truck fleets.
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