What about the materials I produce during my work day? Do I own
the copyright in these?
No.
This situation is an exception to the general rule that copyright
is owned by the author of the work. Where the author of a work is
employed under a contract of service or apprenticeship and the work
was made in the course of his or her employment, the employer, not
the author, is the first owner of the copyright.
There
are exceptions to this exception. Where the work is an article or
other contribution to a newspaper, magazine or similar periodical,
the author has the right to restrain the publication of the work,
except as part of a newspaper, magazine or like periodical. And
of course, the parties are free to make an agreement that sets different
rules on who owns copyright in this situation.
WARNING:
The contents of these FAQs are intended as general legal information
only.
If
you have a personal problem, please consult a lawyer.
December
1998 |