An employer may generally have a right to use an invention where (a) the inventor assigns his or her rights to the company; (b) the employee was hired to develop inventive ideas; or (c) a “shop right” is created where the employee used the employer’s time and resources to develop the invention. Make sure your employees have signed a proper employment agreement. If you would like us to review your company’s exposure to losing an employee’s patent, please give us a call.
The Ownership Status of Patented Products Invented During the Course of Employment is Critical
