Intellectual Property - do my designs belong to me?
I am employed as a designer for a
dance fashion house. It is a small
company and I was hired, with no
written contract, as a ''costume
designer'' for the company. Before I
was hired, the owner of the company
understood that I was a freelance
designer in my personal life and that
I was willing to be full time designer
for them. I am salary, but there is no
definition as to my overall job with
the company since we also do not
have a handbook. I am soon going to
leave the company, and I want to
know if it is within my legal right to
take my designs and any un-realized
designs with me when I go. The
company recogninzes which designs
are created by me and bases
bonuses off the designs and since
they are mine, I would like to be able
to use them personally or sell them
to other companies if possible.