That Wasn't So Bad

[shanmonster]

Today's training session went fine. Thirteen new employees were hired out of 475 applicants. I guess they really did like me, hmm? It's nice to know my new employer has been ranked in the top fifty best companies to work for in Canada. I'm looking forward to being treated like an actual person at my job.

While filling out the usual paperwork, I did find one thing which made me pause. The contract is worded something like this:

All programs/writings/etc. created by an employee become the property of the company.

I called over my supervisor and told her this makes it look like anything I do, even on my own time, becomes the property of the company. Apparently, no one had ever noted this before. She made it clear that of course things I did on my own time were my own property, but because I really don't like the ambiguous wording, I crossed out the offending sentence and replaced it with something along the lines of "all programs/writings created by the employee for the employer become the property of the company." And then I signed and dated it.

I have a very paranoid mind when it comes to things like this.

Most of the day was spent with the usual company propaganda, familiarizing new staff with various hotels. The afternoon was spent going over codes, policies, and software. I don't foresee any problems. Everything's straight-forward.

My only difficulties should be temporary: the training room is more like a freezer than an office (the other rooms have adequate heating), and my computer screen wobbles like black pavement in the desert. I feel migrainey from staring at a shimmering monitor all afternoon, so I hope I can get assigned to a better one on the morrow.

I ran most of the way home through the snow. It felt good to move after eight hours of sitting on my arse.

Comments

I'm not a lawyer, but...

[twopiearr.livejournal.com]

That wording is fairly standard, at least in the US. Down here they interpret it as broadly as possible; you actually have to present a document at the time of your hire noting all ideas your are currently developing, currently trademarking/copyrighting, or currently considering to do any of the above. Anything not on that doucment that can be demonstrated was a creation while you were employed is technically the company's property.

That said, most companies I've had any interaction with are usually pretty cool about it, provided that whatever you're inventing isn't something they're in the business of doing. IE if you work for a cel phone service provider and come up with a new method for transferring computer printout patterns onto material for cross stitching, you just submit a cursory "i want to develop this business" memo so no one can sue and off you go.

(believe it or not, this is actually for the company's protection as well as yours - that way, if you happen to have a great idea and the company coincidentally has the same idea and beats you to it by 6 months, you can't sue them claiming that they stole your idea.)

Re: I'm not a lawyer, but...

[shanmonster.livejournal.com]

According to the wording, any dance performance, blogging, sewing, or nose-picking I do while an employee (whether or not I'm on the clock) is the company's property. While I agree that anything I get paid to do is theirs, they do not own me otherwise, and I wouldn't willingly sign anything saying they do.

I can't imagine the company ever wanting to collect on this, anyhow. What interest would a hotel company have in my jewellery-making or musings on internet subculture?

Re: I'm not a lawyer, but...

[zero-design.livejournal.com]

Companies exist to make money. If they can make money off you, they will. They do not care how.

Re: I'm not a lawyer, but...

[shanmonster.livejournal.com]

If they can make money off my esoteric skills when I haven't been able to, I must bow to their rad skills!

Re: I'm not a lawyer, but...

[longpig.livejournal.com]

I worked for these people for over a year. They really are not some kind of corporate monster. They just want to make hotel reservations.

Re: I'm not a lawyer, but...

[zero-design.livejournal.com]

Oh - I wasn't really refering to where Shan is working in particular, more to the kinds of companies described by the first "I'm not a lawyer" comment.

Re: I'm not a lawyer, but...

[tlatoani.livejournal.com]

The way the wording gets interpreted in the US varies from state to state, sometimes dramatically. I don't know how Canadian courts have handled it, but getting clarification is a good idea.

I'd also STRONGLY suggest that you not talk about your work in your blog from this point forward, given that employers seem to react unpredictably to blogs and some have been firing people lately.

Re: I'm not a lawyer, but...

[shanmonster.livejournal.com]

Fair enough...

[littlekeltie.livejournal.com]

I'm glad your first day went well! But a note of warning, the heating/airconditioning system is messed up! They very rarely have it at a happy medium. I think most of the time it has to do with not moving around a lot...but that's sort of inherent in the job so...lets just say that there are good days and bad days when it comes to the temperature in that office :) About the monitor problem: did you mention it to the trainer (is meghan the one training you guys?)? She might be able to get the monitor replaced or do something about the whole horrible shimmery screen.

See you at work!
Cheers!
Keltie

[longpig.livejournal.com]

Layers are your friend...

Also once I told Ginette that the monitors at work were giving me headaches, they got me a glare screen like the *next day*. They are pretty cool like that... :o

[shanmonster.livejournal.com]

I will mention it to them. I think my monitor has certainly seen better days. The whole left side of it is shimmery.

And I'm piling on the sweaters for tomorrow. Cripes!

[shanmonster.livejournal.com]

I'll mention it tomorrow. Thanks!

[aberrantmist.livejournal.com]

Happy first day :)

[shanmonster.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[kamomil.livejournal.com]

13 out of 475? Wow. Congrats.

[shanmonster.livejournal.com]

Thanks! It felt good to be specifically chosen out of such a large crowd--like my skills are relevant, after all.