Question by General A: Is the software I write legally protected from the use of my employer without my permission?
I am an hourly worker for a company in the state of Wisconsin. What I want to do is write a simple, universal beta program off the clock, under no contract with the company, without the knowledge of the company and without using any of the company’s resources. I then want to propose the code to be implemented within the company under one of two conditions:

1. Under contract for a year, I implement the system for the company; salary at X amount of dollars, as well as forfeiting ownership of the code to them.

or

2. Remain employed at the company under contract at my current rate for the year, sell the code for X amount of dollars, thereby forfeiting ownership of the code, and have nothing to do with the implementation.

Are there any flaws in my plans?

Will copyright laws protect me if my employer refuses both options and attempts to steal or copy my code?

If it matters, my current job at the company is in no way related to programing or has any ownership of duties involved with what I want to change through implementation of the code I write.

Best answer:

Answer by Esther
Well, you are worried about all the wrong things.

You have no reason to worry about the things you describe here. You have to worry about the things you appear not even to understand.

Hope this helps.

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