Firm accuses former employee of unfair competition

An IT company yesterday called on a former employee to stop contacting current employees to obtain confidential information and accused her of unfair competition.

Crimsonwing (Malta) Limited filed a judicial protest in the Civil Court against Margaret Alder, holding her responsible in damages.

The company claimed Alder was one of its first employees but she was sacked in November 1998. Since then she had worked in the information technology field and some Crimsonwing employees had resigned and gone to work on contracts she had provided for them. Crimsonwing said it couldn't complain because this was normal and fair competition.

But Alder had recently started competing unfairly and, directly or indirectly, was getting in touch with Crimsonwing clients and claiming she could provide the service at lower rates using former or even current Crimsonwing employees.

Crimsonwing claimed she could do this only because she had inside information which she was now using to her advantage.

She had recently, directly or indirectly, tried to get in touch with Crimsonwing employees in a bid to obtain copies of the company's contract with one of its main clients but this did not happen because the employee happened to be loyal.

Crimsonwing said that any interference would be a serious breach of ethics and the law and would cause it damages.

Dr Joseph A. Schembri signed the protest.