In California and Illinois it may not necessarily be true due to laws those states have passed, but in most other states, it generally is. I live in New York s

In California and Illinois it may not necessarily be true due to laws those states have passed, but in most other states, it generally is. I live in New York state. My contract states: "I will promptly notify <employer> of all inventions, discoveries, computer programs and systems, works of authorship, improvements, and developments, which I may produce during my employment with <employer>, and I assign my right, title, and interest to <employer> in such inventions, discoveries, computer programs and systems, works of authorship, improvements and developments." There's other paragraphs roughly stating that if I notify upper management of my work done outside of business the company engages in or plans to engage in, upper management may provide me a written exemption for those specific works. But they do _NOT_ have to provide this to me, even if I ask nicely. I personally do not know anyone at my company who has ever gotten an exemption.