If I wrote a school curriculum while working for a private for-profit school and they still are using my curriculum even though I was let go,what rights doI have?
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If I wrote a school curriculum while working for a private for-profit school and they still are using my curriculum even though I was let go,what rights doI have?
Asked on November 11, 2011 under Employment Labor Law, Texas
Answers:
B.H.F., Member, Texas State Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 13 years ago | Contributor
When an employee works for a business, anything developed during the course of the employee's employment becomes the property of that business. Most employee handbooks will state the same. This is a general rule regarding the ownership of intellectual property. If you wrote a school curriculum while employed for the for-profit school, they can continue using the curriculum without providing you any additional compensation. However, some exceptions do apply. If you had a specific written agreement regarding ownership of any programs or intellectual property developed by you, then you could potentially file a lawsuit for damages or compensation for use of your property. Absent this type of protection or a specific agreement, you don't have any rights to the curriculum.
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