6
llijaz
2y

So I'm apparently not allowed to work with what I've learned in my work in my free time.

My boss gave me the job to create modifications for an already existing tool. I always wanted to do that and I started to collect ideas a long time ago what I want to have. So I kindly shared my ideas with my boss and started working on it. Since I'm leaving the company I now longer work on these things and now I started continue working on MY ideas in my free time.

And for protocol: I didn't take any of my code I wrote in my working time and I didn't apply anything else that clearly belongs to the company.

Now I have a problem with my boss. I shared him my ideas so now they belong to the company. And I learned how to create modifications for this tool in my working time so now I'm not allowed to use this knowledge for anything else. I had an argument with my boss but he persists on the idea that since he gave me this little feedback that my ideas are great, they now belong to his company and he wants to put me into big trouble now...

Comments
  • 7
    Did they make you sign one of those “proprietary inventions” agreement when you were hired?

    If not tell your boss to kick rocks.
  • 1
    @ComputerToucher yeah sure but I still feel like that my ideas don't automatically transfer to him when I share them with him.
  • 2
    @llijaz That's exactly what I'm saying here.
  • 1
    @llijaz than you should check if it is in conflict with local law (it is loads of time). Last check is to see if it can actually be enforced.
  • 4
    @llijaz Generally an idea in your mind cannot be copyrighted or patented. It is a different story though, if you bring your idea into reality (code, paper etc.) on company property, company machines or during working hours paid by the company. It strongly depends on local law though.
    As a general rule of thumb: Never do personal stuff on company property because then they can say it was done for the company, thus it's not yours anymore. But this generally only applies to physical or digital stuff.
    If it's just an idea or concept in your mind, they can't take that from you. Nobody can copyright "knowledge".
  • 5
    @PonySlaystation even if you do it would n your own time, if it can be considered related to the company business they can in some countries claim it.

    But if its your idea and you started working after quitting and do mot reuse any code or company specific ideas they should not be legally able to steal it.

    Not that some wont try to anyway so make sure to check the laws of your country.

    What could happen is that the company starts working on the same idea and since you told your boss you might not be able to prevent that unfortunately.
  • 1
    Ideas are cheap, lol. If I'd get on this bandwagon, I'd probably roll my own thing purely out of spite and show the world that this company's app got inspired by mine. All while promoting the shit out of my app and making it OSS first with SaaS on the side.
  • 1
    @PonySlaystation @Voxera @hjk101 @ComputerToucher thank you all for your advises. This whole topic escalated and now he forces me to give him my source code I worked in my free time.

    I just don't want to get into any trouble or pay lawyers. I just lost the right on my own source code...
  • 3
    @llijaz Sorry what? No. No you haven’t lost your open source work. My friend you need to draw a line in the sand here right the fuck now.

    If that spare time work was done in fact, as you say, on your spare time, and you didn’t use work provided materials to do it with (I hope you haven’t), you really should consider getting a legal professionals advice because this seems to cross a line.

    Unless you’re just okay with what’s happening here, it shouldn’t cost anything just to talk to a specialist in employment and labor issues for a few minutes?
  • 1
    @ComputerToucher Yeah I'm going to speak with someone but not only about that. My boss is requiring ridicules things currently and I cannot communicate with him normally right now so now let's see what is going to happen.

    I'm just so glad I'll be gone in ten days and start at another company.
  • 1
    @llijaz Wish you the best of luck, both with this knucklehead and the new job.
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