I am a long-time lurker here on HN, and have never submitted a story before, but I really need your opinions/advice.

I work for a large company that owns a website with a couple million members that allows them to get answers to their technical questions, read blogs, network with their peers, etc from that website. I am a salaried mid-level .NET developer at work during the day.

I came up with an idea for a web app that could really take off. I've been working on it at home, on my own machine, on my own time. Its written in Python using the Google App Engine SDK (super awesome, BTW). I can see needing Angel or VC funding at some point, or selling it if it really does take off (that would be my ultimate goal, of course -- selling it to a larger company and cashing out).

My concern is, since I work for this larger company and signed an "Employer Protection Agreement" when I was hired, do they own my "invention" (web app), even though it was developed on my own time, with my own resources? Where is the line between whether a web app relates to my current employer's site or not. Without going into too many details at this point, it would essentially be an aggregator of my user's personal contacts.

The exact wording in the agreement I signed says:

"The Company will own (a) any inventions, trade secrets, ideas, original works of authorship or confidential information that Employee conceives, develops, discovers or makes in whole or in part during Employee's employment by the Company that relate to the Company's business or the Company's actual or demonstrably anticipated research or development"...

That part I think is fine, because my idea does not really directly relate to their website. What worries me is this blanket catch-all statement at the end:

"...To the extent any of the foregoing is not deemed to be a work made for hire, Employee hereby irrevocably assigns all copyrights, patent rights, and other ownership to the Company...and Employee will not at any time contest the validity of such rights".

Does that mean they own ANYTHING I invent that relates to any subject matter? Do I need to quit my job just to be able to work on this idea? I have three kids and a wife at home and work full time just to make ends meet. I work on my ideas for as long as I can at night, until I'm about to collapse. I'm making progress, but is it worth it?

Submissions by bry

Does my company really own every idea I come up with?

Does my company really own every idea I come up with?