It all depends on the state you are living. California is pretty good for protecting employees, not recognizing non-compete clauses, etc....
1. If you are working on your own time, and NOT using company equipment.
2. The idea is original, and did NOT came from copying something from the company.
3. The idea is not a direct competitor of what your company is doing.
You can be pretty safe. It will be hard for your company to claim anything on your work.
The challenge is to not draw the attention of your employer, even if you are "safe". Imagine for a moment that you work for Oracle, but have a side project that, legally, belongs to you.
What would happen if Oracle decided that it wanted the company? Does any startup have the resources to duke it out with Oracle for the years it will take to resolve the issue? Would any investor put money into a company that had a dispute with Oracle, even if Oracle's claim was without much merit?
--
read this for what it is like to go head-to-head with a megacorp (about the inventor of Intermittent Windshield Wipers):
Comments
It all depends on the state you are living. California is pretty good for protecting employees, not recognizing non-compete clauses, etc....
1. If you are working on your own time, and NOT using company equipment. 2. The idea is original, and did NOT came from copying something from the company. 3. The idea is not a direct competitor of what your company is doing.
You can be pretty safe. It will be hard for your company to claim anything on your work.
The challenge is to not draw the attention of your employer, even if you are "safe". Imagine for a moment that you work for Oracle, but have a side project that, legally, belongs to you.
What would happen if Oracle decided that it wanted the company? Does any startup have the resources to duke it out with Oracle for the years it will take to resolve the issue? Would any investor put money into a company that had a dispute with Oracle, even if Oracle's claim was without much merit?
--
read this for what it is like to go head-to-head with a megacorp (about the inventor of Intermittent Windshield Wipers):
http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2005/02/25/005398.html