Location: Nashville, TN
I currently work for a company where creating/innovating is basically my whole job role! The thing is, I like working on side projects that I could foresee myself wanting to start a business with in the future. I am just worried if the company I work for could easily claim my future endeavor if I made a prototype while employed. These projects are just for fun right now so I don’t really want to stop and I plan to be with this company for a long time. I absolutely don’t use company resources or time, and the projects are completely unrelated to company work. I know I should speak to someone if I really get serious but I just want a general feeling of my situation! I included the main wording in my contract that could affect me! Thanks!
“(i) “Company Inventions” means any and all Inventions I have derived (A) for the Company, (B) during the course of, or as a result of, the Relationship or from use of the Company Property, or (C) during the term of the Relationship that relate in any manner to any of the Company’s actual or proposed businesses, products, services, research, or development, except in each case as otherwise provided in Section 5(f) below “
I am hoping that because they specified “relate in any manner” to company’s business that if my projects don’t relate at all… maybe I am safe?