• Post Reply Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic
programming forums Java Mobile Certification Databases Caching Books Engineering Micro Controllers OS Languages Paradigms IDEs Build Tools Frameworks Application Servers Open Source This Site Careers Other Pie Elite all forums
this forum made possible by our volunteer staff, including ...
Marshals:
  • Campbell Ritchie
  • Jeanne Boyarsky
  • Ron McLeod
  • Paul Clapham
  • Liutauras Vilda
Sheriffs:
  • paul wheaton
  • Rob Spoor
  • Devaka Cooray
Saloon Keepers:
  • Stephan van Hulst
  • Tim Holloway
  • Carey Brown
  • Frits Walraven
  • Tim Moores
Bartenders:
  • Mikalai Zaikin

Who owns the IP rights

 
Greenhorn
Posts: 10
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Hello Ranchers,

Was thinking about making a website in my spare time using spring 3.0 and google app engine, I'm full time employed software engineer and my contract has a section dedicated to IP rights. Do you think if I were to make a website outside of work hours that my employer could claim IP right to it? Even if it doesn't have anything to do with what the company makes?

I doubt what I'm making will ever earn any cash, just nice to know what I'm coding belongs to me!!! Grrrr

Advice Welcome!
 
Rancher
Posts: 43081
77
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
That's precisely the kind of issue one would expect an employment contract's section on IP rights to cover, no?
 
lowercase baba
Posts: 13089
67
Chrome Java Linux
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
exactly...read your employment contract/agreement, or any NDA form you signed.

Generally, if you do all the work at home, use NO company resources (laptop, internet connection, books, etc) they don't have a legal claim to it...but that won't stop them from trying if it becomes worthwhile.
 
Ulf Dittmer
Rancher
Posts: 43081
77
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
They might even be successful: They Made Me An Offer I Couldn’t Refuse
 
Stephen Foster
Greenhorn
Posts: 10
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Thanks guys this was helpful, I think from what I've read the best approach is to ask your company upfront and get them to make a decision there and then, rather than finding out that they want to lay claim to your hard written code 6 months down the line!

I'm fairly certain they won't want anything to do with it anyway, will let you know how things go...
 
Sheriff
Posts: 67746
173
Mac Mac OS X IntelliJ IDE jQuery TypeScript Java iOS
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
As someone who writes books and does outside contract work, this is a very important point for me when signing onto a job. On most occasions, I've had to have the agreement re-written before I'll sign it. It's usually either too encompassing, or too vaguely written.
 
Onion rings are vegetable donuts. Taste this tiny ad:
a bit of art, as a gift, that will fit in a stocking
https://gardener-gift.com
reply
    Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic