I'd have to agree, the invention component is a bit far reaching. If you work at a place where you build a billing or CRM solution that connects to Salesforce, for example, and you realize there is a need for a time tracking app that could integrate into Salesforce and products like your company's solution... so you leave to start your own company and build your time tracking app. It's not reasonable that your previous company should own that IP for your app just because it is in a similar industry and born out of an idea you had while working for them.
But how that is currently written would indeed encompass that. So I think Steve's suggestion to amend it is at least a good starting point, as they should only be able to claim any IP that you build on their time, with their resources or *very directly* related to their IP. But something you build after you leave the company, on your own time, with your own resources and not derived from their IP is yours and they shouldn't have any claim to it. Obviously, standard IANAL disclaimers apply, but that's my take on it. Sent while mobile. > On Apr 17, 2015, at 9:16 AM, Steve Meyers <[email protected]> wrote: > > For the non-compete, I'd think 6 months is sufficient. They need to > understand that if the definition is too broad, it will just be > unenforceable anyway, so they should narrow it up a bit (and make it > unambiguous). > > I've taken to amending the "invention" agreements to specify that they > only own them if they were made on work time. I've never had a company > have a problem with that, and at least one amended their standard contract. > >> On 04/17/2015 09:09 AM, David Skinner wrote: >> All, >> >> My company is working on introducing some non-compete documents. I'm going >> through them to recommend some modifications. In the documents they state a >> non-compete period of 2 years following employee termination date. >> >> *My question to you all is what is common nowadays for a non-compete time >> frame?* I've heard that 6 months is typical with 1 year being about as long >> as will hold up in Utah courts. >> >> Another section states that "In competition with the Company". Here is a >> snippet: >> >> The phrase “In Competition With The Company” as used throughout Article I >> of this Agreement will be deemed to include direct or indirect competition >> with the Company or its respective successors or >> assigns, or the businesses of any of the foregoing. A person, firm, >> business or enterprise is In Competition With the Company if it is engaged >> in any industries with similar product offerings of the Company. This >> includes, but is not limited to, the following business operations: (a) >> publishing and creation of sales and training tools, (b) kit creation and >> production, (c) online customer relationship management (CRM) tools, (d) >> online social sharing tools, (e) online prospecting system, (f) other >> products and services related to direct sales and multi-level marketing and >> (g) fulfillment and >> distribution of sales tools, for direct sales companies and multi-level >> marketing companies. >> >> I interpret this two ways: >> >> * It's considered competition to work for a company that has any CRM tools >> and/or online social sharing tools in general >> - OR - >> * It's considered competition to work for a company that has any CRM tools >> and/or online social sharing tools "...for direct sales companies and >> multi-level marketing companies." >> >> *What do you all think about that section? Is it the first interpretation >> or the second? Or some other option?* >> >> One last section mentions that there is a period of 1 year after employment >> where any inventions by the employee "...which relate in any way to or >> arise out of the Company’s actual and/or anticipated web development or >> business activities or products, including planned or proposed activities >> or products..." will be owned by the company. >> >> *Is 1 year an acceptable period of time?* >> >> Any and all help is appreciated. >> >> Thanks, >> >> David Skinner >> >> _______________________________________________ >> >> UPHPU mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://uphpu.org/mailman/listinfo/uphpu >> IRC: #uphpu on irc.freenode.net > > > _______________________________________________ > > UPHPU mailing list > [email protected] > http://uphpu.org/mailman/listinfo/uphpu > IRC: #uphpu on irc.freenode.net _______________________________________________ UPHPU mailing list [email protected] http://uphpu.org/mailman/listinfo/uphpu IRC: #uphpu on irc.freenode.net
