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Company Ownership of Employee Ideas

Posted by michael on from the 0wned dept.

Anonymous Coward writes "Alcatel USA Inc. filed a lawsuit, and won, in a bid to claim proprietary rights for a software idea of one of its former employees, Evan Brown. Evan signed a invention disclosure agreement with his former employers but what makes this case unusual is that Evan never wrote anything down with regards to his idea, meaning that Alcatel seems to be claiming rights to an idea in his head. Does this mean your thoughts may belong to your company? Maybe...." This story has been kicking around for a few days but this is the first legal analysis I've seen of it. Watch what you sign! J adds: see also recent TR story and our 1999 story.

6 of 421 comments (clear)

  1. I CLAIM FIRST POST FOR THE HAMAS TERRORIST GROUP by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Die, american pigs.

  2. eleet fr0st pist?!?!?! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Maybe Evan's ideas belong to Alcatel, but this FR0ST P1ST belongs to ME.

    1. Re:eleet fr0st pist?!?!?! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

      Or maybe not....can't troll on my company's gay fractional T1. I need to go home and get on my cable modem for some pimp first posting action. :(

  3. woot by KaizerWill · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    w00t this article rox my sox cause its the greatest freaking thing ever i love you mr author man you are like a deity unto me.

  4. Re:I CLAIM FIRST POST FOR THE HAMAS TERRORIST GROU by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic
    Wait... are you the Western HTG or the Eastern HTG?

    I suspect you are Western, welcome home brother!

  5. Re:I CLAIM FIRST POST FOR THE HAMAS TERRORIST GROU by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic
    IN THAT CASE THE STREETS WILL RUN RED WITH THE BLOOD OF THE EAST...

    all praise allah... all praise 1337 microsoft hax0rs... all praise fark.com and osnews.com...

    all praise chocolate