Legal Question in Intellectual Property in Kansas

Intellectual Property of Employer

My employer recently presented an employee handbook for examination and signature acknowledging receipt and understanding, and agreement to comply. Under paragraph ''Inventions and Creative Works'' inventions are broadly defined and include any ''ideas'' as''work made for hire''. Of real concern, the second paragraph under same heading states I ''agree to assign'' any such ''inventions, that under applicable law, may not be considered work made for hire'' to also be the sole property of the company and that I agree ''at the companies expense, assist in every proper way to protect the inventions throughout the world''. I do not currently have any ''inventions'' I plan to pursue, but I cannot imagine signing away all of my intellectual property rights, for now and into the future, regardless of whether same pertains to the business which my employer is engaged in or not. I have the respect of the company President and CFO, the owners, but I'm concerned about objecting without a plan to propose a solution. Simply not signing the employee handbook would not seem an option. Are there fair example clauses, or intellectual property agreements I could propose? Could I propose a properly worded addendum, or alternate wording? Any suggestions?

1 Answer from Attorneys

Related Questions & Answers

More Intellectual Property questions and answers in Kansas

Looking for something else?