I have signed assignment of inventions with my employer. The exact wordings is not available to me - however I remember vaguely that it dealt with all inventions by employees being company's property. My question is if I invent a system or develop a product in my spare time (outside office hours) and using my own personal resources (laptop, devices, personal time and effort etc. ) will that still be in danger of being attacked by assignment of inventions? Can I safely assume that such property will fully be mine? (I am asking because I remember reading in a reputed book - Business Law for Entrepreneurs) that any invention/developed product can be claimed by employer even if it is produced outside normal hours of employment with personal resources - Since it is done during the term period of employment. I would love see someone shed light on this aspect since the above sounds too draconian.
asked May 3, 2019 at 15:50 133 5 5 bronze badgesThis will depend strongly on the exact wording of the employment agreement. An assignment of inventions/developments "in the course of employment" and one "during the period of employment" are very different. The former excludes spare-time work not related to the job. The laws of the specific jurisdiction will also be important. Some jurisdictions limit what sorts of agreement are enforceable. Many employers do not claim unrelated spare-time inventions. Some do. In some places that is enforceable, and not in others.
Commented May 6, 2019 at 18:23@DavidSiegel The document was signed in GA. I am not in immediate possession of the document, so don’t know the details.