ITT-Tech Contract: "No Patents while you work here."?

[ChaosBlizzard]

What is the name of your state? FL, USA

Is it legal for a company to take your right to patent away from you via Contract while you work for them?

If so, how well does it hold up in court.

I am just interested, as ITT-Tech requires that you sign such an agreement before you work for them.

Thanks

 

[divgradcurl]

What is the name of your state? FL, USA

Is it legal for a company to take your right to patent away from you via Contract while you work for them?

If so, how well does it hold up in court.

I am just interested, as ITT-Tech requires that you sign such an agreement before you work for them.

Thanks

Virtually all high-tech companies -- and many non high-tech companies -- require you to sign a contract agreeing to assign to the cmpany any inventions you create while working for them. This is a very common type of contract, and yes, it is almost certainly enforceable.

You still have the right to patent an invention -- you may even have a duty to patent an invention, depending on your job description -- you just can't invent something on the company's dime and then expect to benefit directly yourself.