What defines the rights of employee and employer regarding copyright? Must this be arranged explicitly in a contract of employment?
Answer The 1988 Act states that copyright in any work created by an employee in the course of his/her employment is owned by the employer unless there is an agreement to the contrary. The position is reversed for freelance contractors who own the copyright in their work unless the contract with their client specifies otherwise. Ownership of intellectual property rights and benefits from them are often defined in contracts of employment or institutional policies linked to them. It is generally better for both the individual and the employer, or the contractor and his client, if any contract states explicitly what the situation is with copyright and other intellectual property rights, i.e. who will own materials created or what rights to them are being granted.
Related Questions
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