Can a university use my ideas without paying me
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Can a university use my ideas without paying me
I created a program for my college back in
2010 on my own 100 and to this day they use
it for recruiting and earn a lot from the idea but
never paid me for it? Is that legal?
Asked on June 7, 2018 under Business Law, Texas
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 5 years ago | Contributor
If you--
1) Were employed by them at the time and used the program in doing your job (i.e. even if you created it "on my own," it was something done for your job);
2) Were employed by them and had signed an agreement stating that they had the rights to anything created by you during your employment;
3) Used college resources (e.g. their computers or systems) to create the program; or
4) Created it for a class, but had signed something (including an acknowledgement of general rules governing being a student) stating that anything you submitted for class became the property of the college
--then it belongs to them. They would have, in the above cases, became owner by dint of an agreement you signed, as a "work for hire" (something done for employment), and/or because you when use someone else's resources to create something, you give them an ownership interest in the end product.
Otherwise, you would seem to still be owner and may have a claim for compensation; speak to an intellectual property attorney to confirm your right and take any appropriate action.
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 5 years ago | Contributor
If you--
1) Were employed by them at the time and used the program in doing your job (i.e. even if you created it "on my own," it was something done for your job);
2) Were employed by them and had signed an agreement stating that they had the rights to anything created by you during your employment;
3) Used college resources (e.g. their computers or systems) to create the program; or
4) Created it for a class, but had signed something (including an acknowledgement of general rules governing being a student) stating that anything you submitted for class became the property of the college
--then it belongs to them. They would have, in the above cases, became owner by dint of an agreement you signed, as a "work for hire" (something done for employment), and/or because you when use someone else's resources to create something, you give them an ownership interest in the end product.
Otherwise, you would seem to still be owner and may have a claim for compensation; speak to an intellectual property attorney to confirm your right and take any appropriate action.
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