The North Dakota Proprietary Information and Inventions Agreement (PISA) is a legal document that establishes the terms and conditions pertaining to the ownership and control of intellectual property rights created by a software engineer during their employment. This agreement is crucial for both the employee and the employer as it ensures the protection and safeguarding of proprietary information, inventions, and trade secrets. The PISA serves as a comprehensive agreement that outlines the guidelines, obligations, and restrictions imposed on the software engineer regarding their work and any ideas, discoveries, or developments they make while working for the company. It encompasses various essential clauses, including: 1. Definitions: This section establishes the key terms used throughout the agreement, such as proprietary information, inventions, trade secrets, and confidential information, providing clear and unambiguous meanings. 2. Ownership of Intellectual Property: The agreement clarifies that any intellectual property, including software code, algorithms, designs, patents, trademarks, copyrights, or trade secrets, developed by the software engineer during their employment, solely belongs to the employer. It asserts the employer's exclusive rights and prevents the software engineer from claiming ownership of such creations. 3. Confidentiality: The PISA emphasizes the importance of maintaining confidentiality, requiring the software engineer to keep all proprietary information and trade secrets strictly confidential, both during and after their employment. It stipulates that the software engineer must not disclose, use for personal gain, or share any confidential information without prior written consent from the employer. 4. Duty to Assign and Disclose: This section confirms that the software engineer is obligated to promptly disclose any inventions, developments, or innovations they create that fall within the scope of their employment. It enables the employer to monitor and control the assignment of these creations and ensures that the employer retains all rights to these intellectual properties. 5. Non-Competition and Non-Solicitation: The PISA may include clauses prohibiting the software engineer from engaging in certain competitive activities or soliciting the employer's clients or employees for a specific period after leaving their employment. These restrictions aim to protect the employer's business interests and prevent the software engineer from applying their knowledge and relationships for personal gain or within competitive entities. It's important to note that while the core provisions of the North Dakota PISA remain relatively consistent, there may be variations in specific terms and clauses included in agreements drafted by different companies or industries. These variations may address unique situations, particular requirements, or additional provisions for enhanced protection. In summary, the North Dakota Proprietary Information and Inventions Agreement for Software Engineers is a vital legal contract that ensures the employer's ownership and control over intellectual property developed during the software engineer's employment. By establishing clear guidelines on ownership, confidentiality, disclosure, and non-competition, this agreement protects the employer's proprietary information and trade secrets while offering a framework for the software engineer to understand their obligations and responsibilities.