Employee Confidential Information and Inventions Agreement
What this document covers
The Employee Confidential Information and Inventions Agreement is a legal document that establishes the terms under which an employee agrees to protect the proprietary information and inventions created during their employment. This agreement ensures that any confidential information shared by the employer remains confidential and that any inventions developed by the employee are assigned to the company. It is a critical form for businesses to protect their intellectual property and sensitive information from unauthorized disclosure or use.
Key parts of this document
- Definition of Confidential Information and Inventions
- Employee's obligation to maintain confidentiality
- Assignment of invention rights to the Corporation
- Process for disclosing inventions
- Provisions regarding records and materials related to Confidential Information
- Legal jurisdiction and enforceability clauses
When to use this document
This agreement should be used any time an employer hires an employee who will have access to sensitive information or is expected to create inventions related to the business. It is particularly important in industries where intellectual property is a significant asset, such as technology, pharmaceuticals, and manufacturing. Using this form protects the company's interests and helps prevent future disputes regarding ownership of ideas and inventions developed during employment.
Who this form is for
- Employers seeking to protect their intellectual property
- Employees who will work on proprietary projects or have access to confidential information
- Businesses of all sizes, especially startups and tech firms
- Legal professionals drafting employment agreements
Instructions for completing this form
- Identify the parties involved: the employee and the Corporation.
- Define what constitutes Confidential Information within the agreement.
- Specify the rights assigned to the Corporation regarding any inventions created by the employee.
- Include details about the return of materials and records upon termination of employment.
- Obtain signatures from both the authorized officer of the Corporation and the employee.
Does this form need to be notarized?
This form usually doesn’t need to be notarized. However, local laws or specific transactions may require it. Our online notarization service, powered by Notarize, lets you complete it remotely through a secure video session, available 24/7.
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Make edits, fill in missing information, and update formatting in US Legal Forms—just like you would in MS Word.
Download a copy, print it, send it by email, or mail it via USPS—whatever works best for your next step.
Sign and collect signatures with our SignNow integration. Send to multiple recipients, set reminders, and more. Go Premium to unlock E-Sign.
If this form requires notarization, complete it online through a secure video call—no need to meet a notary in person or wait for an appointment.
We protect your documents and personal data by following strict security and privacy standards.
Common mistakes
- Not clearly defining what is considered Confidential Information.
- Failing to list prior inventions on Appendix A.
- Not having the agreement signed before the employee begins work.
- Ignoring state-specific laws regarding employment agreements.
Why complete this form online
- Convenience of downloading and editing the form as needed.
- Access to templates drafted by licensed attorneys, ensuring legal compliance.
- Instant availability, allowing employers to act quickly in hiring situations.
- Secure storage of documents for easy access and management.
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FAQ
Also known as Proprietary Information and Inventions Assignment Agreements (or PIIAAs), Confidential Information and Inventions Assignment Agreements ensure that intellectual property and other proprietary rights created by employees during the course of their employment are assigned to the employer.
A confidentiality agreement is a written legal contract between an employer and an employee. The confidentiality agreement lays out binding terms and conditions that prohibit the employee from disclosing company confidential and proprietary information.
First, if you're in California, Labor Code § 2870 puts significant limits on what your employer can claim, regardless of the contract. Basically, they can't claim anything you developed before you arrived or anything that's unrelated to their business (unless you used their facilities to develop it).
Examples of confidential information include, but are not limited to: Information about the Company's operations, results, earnings projections, strategies, clients or client relationships, proprietary products or employee records.
Although California generally prohibits non-competition agreements, employers have commonly understood that they could prevent an employee and his or her new employer from using former employers' confidential information.
PIIA is the acronym for the most common name for these agreements, ''proprietary information and invention assignment'' agreements.The agreement also requires that the employee agree that whatever the employee creates, discovers, develops or invents while employed with the company is owned by the company.
An invention assignment agreement is a contract that gives the employer certain rights to inventions created or conceptualized by the employee during the employment relationship.
To prevent employees from revealing sensitive information that could jeopardize your business, you might have them sign an employee confidentiality agreement. Businesses use employee confidentiality agreements to protect their innovative ideas, effective processes, unique products, or customer information.