3 ms·

If you're technically under an inventions assignment agreement, then you're acting in bad faith by doing this in the first place. It's not being caught that res

by heeton 12y ago

If you're technically under an inventions assignment agreement, then you're acting in bad faith by doing this in the first place. It's not being caught that results in distrust, it's being untrustworthy. I'm not saying that the company is right in taking any work you do outside of office hours (I think that's total crap), I'm saying that you've made an agreement and now you're trying to work around it. In an ideal world, you'd get permission - or work for a company that understands. Of course, the world isn't ideal :)

sliverstorm 12y ago
I'm not saying that the company is right in taking any work you do outside of office hours (I think that's total crap) Oracle can't take your cupcake business, but: - They pay for your mind. That's why the agreement you agree to says, "We own what your mind produces". That's why they hired you. - In working for them, you get access to tools, knowledge, and experience you wouldn't have otherwise. If you get some great inspiration while talking to the company's client, you're hardly a lone actor. I don't love it either, but I understand the reasons, and for me it all comes down to how it is enforced. If you develop a web page under Oracle, they shouldn't have rights to that. If you develop an enterprise database that targets Oracle's market segment...
DennisP 12y ago
That depends on the agreement. Some claim rights over everything, others only over things related to the company's business, or to what you personally work on. Also, various states limit such things, and if the employer overreached it could be unenforceable. I don't think it's bad faith to ignore a contract that the state says is too unfair to enforce. My suggestion: read the contract carefully, make a list of specific questions, and spend an hour talking with a lawyer.
- jsmthrowaway 12y ago
  > Some claim rights over everything, others only over things related to the company's business Mine was limited to the company's primary business. Then I asked the founder (of Linode) what "the company's primary business" entailed. He smugly replied "computers."
  - ams6110 12y ago
    Vague, all-encompassing definitions like that generally don't hold up in court.
  - crdoconnor 12y ago
    Well, that ruins my (previously good) impression of Linode.

by heeton 12y ago

sliverstorm 12y ago

I'm not saying that the company is right in taking any work you do outside of office hours (I think that's total crap) Oracle can't take your cupcake business, but: - They pay for your mind. That's why the agreement you agree to says, "We own what your mind produces". That's why they hired you. - In working for them, you get access to tools, knowledge, and experience you wouldn't have otherwise. If you get some great inspiration while talking to the company's client, you're hardly a lone actor. I don't love it either, but I understand the reasons, and for me it all comes down to how it is enforced. If you develop a web page under Oracle, they shouldn't have rights to that. If you develop an enterprise database that targets Oracle's market segment...

DennisP 12y ago

That depends on the agreement. Some claim rights over everything, others only over things related to the company's business, or to what you personally work on. Also, various states limit such things, and if the employer overreached it could be unenforceable. I don't think it's bad faith to ignore a contract that the state says is too unfair to enforce. My suggestion: read the contract carefully, make a list of specific questions, and spend an hour talking with a lawyer.

jsmthrowaway 12y ago
> Some claim rights over everything, others only over things related to the company's business Mine was limited to the company's primary business. Then I asked the founder (of Linode) what "the company's primary business" entailed. He smugly replied "computers."
- ams6110 12y ago
  Vague, all-encompassing definitions like that generally don't hold up in court.
- crdoconnor 12y ago
  Well, that ruins my (previously good) impression of Linode.