Ask HN: How do you invent with such contracts? Reading a proposed employment contract and honestly I'm pulling my hair. It actually says that anything I make during my time with them -even in non work hours- belongs to them. Same goes for whatever I make 4 months after my termination. Also that I cannot work for any competitor worldwide -unless me and the competitor is in California!! How does anybody invent with terms like these? |
I imagine it depends on your leverage in the employment but try having a candid talk about your side projects and explain it's important to you to continue to work on IP outside of work – a system where you explicitly inform them about outside projects could be a compromise for a company who is a stickler on IP
Tech is still a field where good devs are scarce so if an employer has decided on someone, you do have a fair bit of leverage. If a company wasn't open to a good faith discussion about outside IP, that'd be a signal to me to think twice about the culture and working there