Employment Contract Between an Employee and an Employer in the Technology Business
Employment Agreement made on the _____ day of _____________________________,
20______, between ____________________________________________ (Employee) of
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
________________________________ (street address, city, county, state, zip code) , referred to
herein as Employee , and _________________________________________________________
(Employer) , a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the state of
_______________________________________, with its principal office located at __________
______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________ (street address, city, county, state, zip code) ,
referred to herein as Employer.
Whereas, Employee understands that, in its business, Employer has developed and uses
commercially valuable technical and nontechnical information in the various existing and
projected fields of Employer's business and, to guard the legitimate interest of Employer, it is
necessary for Employer to protect certain of the information: (1) as confidential and a trade
secret; and/or (2) by patent, copyright, and/or other means of protection; and
Whereas, Employee understands that such information is vital to the success of
Employer's business, and that through Employee's employment by Employer, Employee may
become acquainted with that information, and may contribute to that information through
inventions, discoveries improvements or in some other manner; and
Whereas, Employee understands that all such information, inventions, discoveries,
improvements, and other results of Employee's employment by Employer are the exclusive
property of Employer and may be protected by Employer as Employer deems appropriate;
Now, therefore, for and in consideration of the matters described above, and of the
mutual benefits and obligations set forth in this agreement, and other good and valuable
consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties agree as
follows:
I. Employment
The scope of the employment shall be as set out in the attached Schedule A. The
employment shall also specifically include, but not be limited to, the reasonable provision of
documentation and annotation for any products or information resulting, in whole or in part,
from the employment (Employee's Output) that is deemed adequate by Employer for Employer to
continue to productively use Employee's Output subsequent to the termination of the
employment, for any reason whatsoever.
II. Ownership
A. Employee acknowledges and agrees that Employer is the sole and exclusive owner
of all rights and remedies in and to certain confidential ideas and trade secrets concerning the
operations of Employer ( Trade Secret Information as defined in the attached Schedule B ), all of
Employee's Output, and all products or information derived or to be derived from Employee's
Output, regardless of whether such Trade Secret Information or Employee's Output is subject to
patent, copyright, or other protection.
B. If the Trade Secret Information or Employee's Output is or becomes the subject of
a patent application, patent, copyright, or other rights under the laws of the United States or any
other country, Employee agrees and understands that Employer shall have all the rights and
remedies available to Employer under the law as a result of such patent applications, patents,
copyrights, or other rights.
C. Both parties understand that this agreement does not constitute a license to use the
Trade Secret Information or Employee's Output other than as specified in this agreement and
required during the employment.
III. Confidentiality and Nondisclosure
A. Employee acknowledges that during the employment, Employee has had and/or
shall have access to and has become and/or shall or may become aware of Trade Secret
Information . Employee agrees to hold in confidence all Trade Secret Information disclosed to
Employee or developed by Employee in connection with the employment, either in writing,
verbally, or as a result of the employment except:
1. Information which, at the time of disclosure, is in the public domain or
which, after disclosure, becomes part of the public domain by publication or otherwise
through no action or fault of Employee; or
2. Information which Employee can show is in its possession at the time of
disclosure and was not acquired, directly or indirectly, from Employer; or
3. Information which was received by Employee from a third party having
the legal right to transmit that information.
B. Employee shall not, without the written permission of Employer, use the Trade
Secret Information which Employee is obligated under this agreement to maintain in confidence
for any reason other than to enable Employee to properly and completely perform the
employment.
C. Employee shall not reproduce or make copies of the Trade Secret Information or
Employee's Output , except as required in the performance of the employment. Upon termination
of the employment for any reason whatsoever, Employee shall promptly deliver to Employer all
correspondence, drawings, blueprints, manuals, letters, notes, notebooks, reports, flow-charts,
programs, proposals, documents concerning Employer's customers or clients, documents
concerning products or processes used by Employer, and all other documents, writings, and
materials used by Employee, together with any copies or other reproductions of them made by
Employee or in the possession or control of Employee. Employee understands that all such
records, whether developed by Employee or others, are and shall remain the property of
Employer.
D. Except as may be required by the employment, Employee shall not, during or at
any time subsequent to the employment, unless Employer has given prior written consent,
disclose or use the Trade Secret Information or engage in or refrain from any action, where such
action or inaction may result: (1) in the unauthorized disclosure of any or all such trade secrets to
any person or entity; or (2) in the infringement of any or all such rights.
E. Employee shall immediately notify Employer of any information which comes to
Employee's attention which does or might indicate that there has been any loss of confidentiality
of such trade secrets or breach of such rights.
IV. Noncompetition
A. Employee shall not, during the employment and after the termination of the
employment for any reason whatsoever, directly or indirectly:
1. Solicit the trade or patronage of any of the customers or clients or
prospective customers or clients of Employer, with respect to any of the services,
products, trade secrets, or other matters of Employer; and
2. Establish, work for, consult for, or assist in any way, whether in a paid or
unpaid capacity, any individual, partnership, company, employer, or other business entity
which competes with Employer in any of the following areas of business: (describe areas
of business) _____________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________ .
These restrictions shall last for a period of _________ (number) years and shall cover the
geographic area of (description of territory) _________________________________________
_____________________________________________ , and shall specifically include the
following of Employer's former, existing, or prospective customer or clients: (list names of
customers and clients) __________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________ .
B. It would be difficult to identify and prove the use of Employer's trade secrets in
the development of other computer programs providing the same functionality as Employer's
programs upon which Employee worked during the employment. Should any dispute arise
between Employee and Employer regarding such computer programs that results in an arbitration
or proceeding in a court of law, there shall be, for the purpose of any arbitration or trial, an
irrefutable presumption that any computer program providing the same functionality as any or all
such programs was developed using Employer's trade secrets contrary to the provisions of this
agreement.
C. Should the irrefutable presumption provided for in the preceding paragraph be
held to be contrary to law, then the presumption shall be at the highest level allowed by law, and
the burden of proof shall rest with Employee.
V. Copyright
Employee agrees that Employee is an employee-for-hire as defined by the laws of the
United States regarding copyrights. All works resulting from the employment are works made
for hire as defined by the laws of the United States regarding copyrights.
VI. Patent
A. Employee shall promptly disclose to Employer, in writing if requested, any and all
inventions, discoveries and improvements conceived or made by Employee during the period of
the employment and related to the business or activities of Employer. Employee shall assign all
of Employee's interests in such inventions, discoveries and improvements to Employer or its
nominee. Employee shall execute, whenever Employer requests Employee to do so, any and all
applications, assignments or other instruments which Employer shall deem necessary to apply for
and attain Letters Patent of the United States or any foreign country or to protect otherwise
Employer's interests in the patents. These obligations shall continue beyond the termination of
Employee's employment with respect to inventions, discoveries, and improvements conceived or
made by Employee during the period of employment, and shall be binding upon Employee's
assigns, executors, administrators, and other legal representatives.
B. Employee understands that Employee is not obligated to assign to Employer any
and all inventions which were conceived and reduced to practice prior to the employment and
which are listed on the back of this agreement at the time that Employee executes this agreement.
C. Employee understands that subsequent to the employment, Employee's assistance
may be needed for securing, defending or enforcing any patent of which Employee is an inventor
or co-inventor. In that event, Employee shall provide all such assistance, and Employer agrees
that Employer shall pay reasonable compensation for Employee's time at a rate to be agreed but
not higher than the last salary rate paid to Employee by Employer during Employee's
employment.
VII. Patent, Trademark, and Copyright Notices
Employee shall place all appropriate notices of patent rights, trademark rights, and
copyrights on all works resulting from the employment. Employer shall provide Employee with
the form and substance of such notices.
VIII. Performance and Indemnification
A. Employee understands that if Employee fails to perform as specified in this
agreement, Employee may be subject to legal action by Employer.
B. Employee shall indemnify Employer from and against any loss, damage, or injury
Employer shall suffer as a result of any breach of this agreement by Employee. Such all
encompassing indemnity shall include, but not be limited to, losses, damages, injury, or liability
that Employer may suffer as a result of Employee's breach, in any way, of this agreement. Such
damages and injuries that may be awarded to Employer against Employee shall be deemed to
include all actual, general, special, and consequential damages awarded to Employer, its agents,
Employees, or assigns, against any party who benefits, in any way from Employee's breach of
this agreement, as well as any attorneys' fees, costs of suits, costs of arbitration, or costs of
appeal which may be awarded in any litigation or arbitration instituted by or against Employer to
recover monetary compensation for such loss, damage, or injury or to obtain injunctive relief
from Employee's failure to perform as specified in this agreement.
IX. No Agency
A. Employee understands that Employee has no authority, either express or implied,
to act, or represent that Employee is acting on behalf of Employer, except in those instances in
which Employer has given Employee prior written consent that specifically covers Employee's
acts or representations.
B. Employee shall not engage in any act or representation on behalf of Employer,
except in those instances in which Employer has given prior written consent that specifically
covers Employee's acts or representations. Furthermore, Employee shall not refrain from any
action where a third party may reasonably interpret or infer from such an action that Employee
has authority to act or represent on behalf of Employer, except in those instances in which
Employer has given prior written consent that specifically covers Employee's acts or
representations.
X. General
A. Employee understands that this agreement shall be effective when executed by
both Employer and Employee and that the terms of this agreement shall remain in full force and
effect both during the continuation of the employment and after termination of the employment
for any reason whatsoever.
B. This agreement supersedes any and all prior agreements concerning employment
between Employer and Employee.
C. If any provision of this agreement shall be held by a court of competent
jurisdiction to be contrary to law, the remaining provisions of this agreement shall remain in full
force and effect.
D. Each and all of the provisions of this agreement shall be binding upon and shall
inure to the benefit of the parties and their respective successors and assigns.
E. Recognizing the unusual nature of computer-related businesses and trade secrets,
Employee acknowledges Employer's rights to immediate injunctive relief in case of any breach
of this agreement by Employee, in addition to any other remedy in damages.
F. This agreement shall be construed according to the laws of the State of
__________________________________.
G. Notwithstanding the foregoing, and anything herein to the contrary
notwithstanding, a ny dispute under this agreement shall be required to be resolved by binding
arbitration of the parties hereto. If the parties cannot agree on an arbitrator, each party shall
select one arbitrator and both arbitrators shall then select a third. The third arbitrator so selected
shall arbitrate said dispute. The arbitration shall be governed by the rules of the American
Arbitration Association then in force and effect.
WITNESS our signatures as of the day and date first above stated.
____________________________________
EMPLOYER
___________________________________ By_________________________________
EMPLOYER ____________________________________
(Name and Office in Corporation)
SCHEDULE A
The scope of the employment shall be as follows: (description of scope of employment)
______________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________ .
Employee shall receive compensation as follows:
* Salary: $_________________ per year.
* Commissions: ___________ %.
* Terms of Payment: (describe terms of payment) ________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________.
SCHEDULE B
Trade Secret Information includes information whether or not developed by Employee.
Trade Secret Information includes, but is not limited to, the following:
A. Research and development work; source code; object code; run-time libraries;
system documentation; software-related documentation; system configurations; hardware design;
firmware design; construction, layout, and operation of Employer's facilities and equipment; all
of these items both for customers or clients and for Employer's internal operations;
B. Names and identities of former, existing, and prospective customers and clients
not well known to the trade; all contacts at all such customers or clients whether or not such
customers or clients are well known to the trade, contents of proposals for sales, maintenance,
service, license, and other contracts; contents of all such contracts with all former, existing, and
prospective customers or clients; costing and estimation procedures and formulae regarding
proposals and other uses; sales, profit and loss, profit margin, production costs, overhead, and
other bookkeeping and accounting information; all information regarding business development
and marketing; names and identities of vendors and suppliers not well known to the trade; all
contacts at all such vendors and suppliers whether or not such vendors and suppliers are well
known to the trade; costs and contents of proposals and actual contracts with all such vendors
and suppliers; and
C. Confidential information revealed to Employer by third parties and which
Employer is obligated to keep confidential; all copies of this agreement, and any other
information that may be considered by Employer as Employer's confidential information under
applicable laws.