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My day job company found out about my bootstrap startup. What can they do?

Need some pointers here:

I have bootstrapped a company (pre-rev) with some IP (patents) already issued a long time ago.

My current employer (remember I am bootstrapping) found out about this company.

While I did not use any company resources, they are on a witch hunt to prove otherwise.

Can they claim anything? I didn’t agree to, nor do I remember signing any assignment of rights to my current employer about my IP.

At most they can fire me, but can they drag this to any other extent?

Thanks for answering

  • I think they can claim that any IP created while you are working there is theirs. This is typically what a contract for a big company says when you join them.

    Reply

  • Did you get a form listing your prior inventions when you joined the company? This is to protect you and them should something like this come up.

    Reply

  • Thanks for the feedback.

    No I didn’t develop any new ip while working. It’s all sales and marketing that I was focusing on before joining the company. Patents are long issued before I joined the company.

    Product was also launched before I joined the company.

    Thanks again!

    Reply

  • I am not a patent lawyer…but as someone who works in tech, I can tell you two things…

    1 . If all of this happened before you joined them, they probably can’t do much.

    2. In some states, notably California, employees are legally protected by state regulations to work on other stuff during their off time.

    Essentially, let them do all this. They may still let you go if they are unhappy with this. It may also be a good time to look around – given the animosity. Thanks

    Reply

  • Yes, thank you! I gave my resignation due to hostile env

    My boss bad mouthing me despite me rated as excellent contributor. Moving on

    Reply

  • Sorry you had to move on. May work out better for you. I’ll never understand how employers don’t get that people have to have side gigs today since they don’t provide the longevity out grandparents had.

    Reply

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