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Simple English definitions for legal terms
freedom-to-create statute
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A quick definition of freedom-to-create statute:
A freedom-to-create statute is a law that says an employer cannot force their employees to give them ownership of any inventions they come up with on their own time. This means that if an employee creates something outside of work, they get to keep the rights to it, even if it could be useful to their employer.
A more thorough explanation:
A freedom-to-create statute is a law that limits an employer's power to demand that their employees transfer all rights to their inventions, even if they were created independently.
For example, let's say that an engineer works for a company that designs and manufactures electronic devices. The engineer has an idea for a new type of battery that could be used in the company's products, but they develop the idea on their own time and using their own resources. Without a freedom-to-create statute, the company could claim ownership of the battery idea and any resulting patents. However, with this law in place, the engineer would have the right to retain ownership of their invention.
Another example could be a graphic designer who creates a new font in their free time. If their employer does not have a freedom-to-create statute, the company could claim ownership of the font and any profits made from it. However, with this law in place, the designer would have the right to keep ownership of their creation.
Overall, a freedom-to-create statute protects employees' rights to their own inventions and encourages innovation outside of the workplace.