Define: Abuse of authority

How is Abuse of authority defined in a legal contract?

• Abuse of authority means an unjustifiable misuse of power that conflicts with the mission of the [organization], or the successful fulfilment of a contract of the same [organization]. Seen in 67 SEC filings
• Abuse of authority means an individual's inappropriate application of their power and position through intimidation, threats or coercion. These actions jeopardize an employee's job security, undermine their ability to work effectively, or threaten their financial security. However, this does not include the fair and responsible exercise of supervisory power. Seen in 42 SEC filings
• Abuse of authority means an irrational or unreasonable exercise of power. Seen in 14 SEC filings
• Abuse of authority means the improper use of power that comes from one's position of authority over an employee, notably through intimidation, threats, or coercion that could plausibly imperil an employee's capability to do their job, threaten their financial well-being, or significantly affect their physical or emotional health. However, it is not considered an abuse of authority to legitimately exercise managerial responsibilities. Seen in 14 SEC filings
• Abuse of authority means an act, conduct, or decision that exceeds the boundaries of one's position, responsibilities, or level of delegated authority. Actions or lack thereof that fall within one's authority can be considered abuse of authority if they are motivated by an intention to harass or intimidate the employee without reasonable cause. Seen in 6 SEC filings
• Abuse of authority means an improper use of positional power, or neglecting to act as required by law for the purpose of gaining an unfair advantage for oneself, a [relative], another person or entity, or to favor another person or entity. Seen in 5 SEC filings

Note: The Genie AI Legal Assistant pulled this data out of the SEC EDGAR Database of 500,000 records from the past 22 years of filings. We regularly update this page as new filings and definitions come in.

Search EDGAR for 'Definitions of abuse of authority' yourself to verify these results. We are always keen to point people to source documents.

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Which definition should you use?

🤔 Our AI Legal Assistant has combined and improved the above descriptions to create market-standard 'Genie definitions' below, with guidance on which documents and which industry to use for each.

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Genie Definition 1

Abuse of authority means an unjustifiable misuse of power conflicting with the mission of [organization] or the successful fulfilment of a contract.

Relevant Contract Types

• Employment Contracts
• Service Agreements
• Consulting Agreements
• Partnership Agreements

Relevant Circumstances

• Workplace harassment allegations
• Power misuse by a stakeholder or executive
• Conflict between members of a partnership
• Disputes over contract fulfilment

Relevant Sectors

• Human Resources
• Consulting
• Professional Services
• Management

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Genie Definition 2

Abuse of authority means misuse of position and power, with the intention to harass, intimidate or unfairly favor someone, affecting their professional or personal well-being.

Relevant Contract Types

• Non-Disclosure Agreements
• Vendor Agreements
• Subcontractor Agreements
• Management Contracts

Relevant Circumstances

• Confidential information leakages
• Unfair favoritism disputes
• Harassment or intimidation claims by subcontractors
• Mismanagement allegations

Relevant Sectors

• Information Technology
• Construction
• Retail
• Healthcare

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