They made me an offer I couldn't refuse (1997)
4 months ago
- #Software Development
- #Employment Law
- #Intellectual Property
- System Software sought a Post-It Notes™ type program for System 7.5 and offered Antler Software a lump sum deal for 'Antler Notes.'
- Apple's upper management considered claiming ownership of the utility since the developer worked for Apple, leading to tensions.
- The developer eventually received a bonus unrelated to Stickies, easing the situation.
- US labor and copyright law grants employers ownership of employee-created work related to the business, as outlined in 'Proprietary Information Agreements.'
- California Labor Code Section 2870 provides exceptions for inventions developed on personal time without employer resources, unless related to the employer’s business.
- Employees can negotiate exemptions for specific projects with their employer’s legal department, preferably before starting the project.
- Listing prior inventions or vague project ideas in the 'Prior Inventions' section of employment agreements can help retain ownership of personal projects.