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Employee Patent Compensations?

Posted by Cliff on from the if-you-invent-do-it-on-your-own-time dept.

Anonymous Coward asks: "My employer has recently filed a patent application for something I invented. As compensation I am being given the statutory $1 for the assignment and a shiny brass plaque if the patent(s) is awarded. Is this typical for North American companies? I did sign a no compensation and automatic assignment type employment contract and while I was willing to accept that technically, I'm owed nothing, this strikes me as cheap, greedy, and backward thinking on my employers part. I've Google'd and read and this action seems archaic, am I wrong and just full of myself? Your thoughts please!"

5 of 89 comments (clear)

  1. My thoughts... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    My thoughts are that the Anonymous Coward link shouldn't have an email address if Bill Keegan wants to remain anonymous!

  2. It is somewhat greedy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    My company pays up to $2500 or so per inventor named on the patent, up to 3 inventors. If there are more than three, then they take the max 7.5k and divide it equally.

    Just a number. Doesn't mean I'd be any richer than you, after paying taxes and all, but at least I can buy my own shiny new plaque. :)

  3. one dollar!!! by sydlexic · · Score: 5, Funny

    you luck bastard. all i got was a pile of stock options.

  4. But that's the genious of it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    His patent was for semi-anonymity.

  5. Re:not exactly standard... by DAldredge · · Score: 3, Funny

    A couple thousand? Are you crazy! That would buy almost half of an offshore coder!

    Any you wonder why IT/IS jobs are going overses! Bunch of gready SOBs!!!