Can companies prevent you from taking work product you created when you leave?
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Can companies prevent you from taking work product you created when you leave?
I work for a company and wrote a treatment manual. I have no contract that says that the work I do for them is their property and they copied wrote the work under the agencies name. I am leaving and am curious as to what my rights are.
Asked on July 23, 2018 under Employment Labor Law, North Carolina
Answers:
M.D., Member, California and New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 5 years ago | Contributor
If you created this manual during the course of performing your job duties, then you have no right to it. It belongs to your employer.
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 5 years ago | Contributor
You have no rights to anything you created for the employer or as part of your job. Anything created by employees in the course of their employment belongs to the employer; the employer, not you, owns the rights (e.g. copyright) to it.
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