who owns the code

[neonpie]

If someone has worked for a company working on a project for a client and then left that company, who has ownership over the code on that project?

if that person was to then re-use that project without permission of the company. is there any case for break of copyright or something?

[glengara]

Reads to me like copyright resides with the employer....

[Jack_Hughes]

I'd be amazed if the copyright resided with the programmer especially if the programmer was in employment.

[neonpie]

thats what i thought, but this guy gives such a convincing argument you start to believe him.

thanks for clarifying this for me.

[limoshawn]

If someone has worked for a company working on a project for a client

Seems to me that the code or "work" would belong to the "client" that hired the company with the employee to create the "work". Unless of course some other agreement was made before hand.

[Marcia]

There's a BIG difference between someone being an employee of a company, doing the work on a "work for hire" agreement, or as an independent contractor.

Employees' code generally belongs to their employers.

Independent contractors are not employed and they aren't employees. Who owns the code in that case depends on what's been agreed upon and/or what's in a contract. Rights stay with the creators generally, unless specifically given to or turned over another party - that's where creative like graphics, artwork, design or writing type products are concerned.

[glengara]

While M is quite correct I'm a bit surprised at how many sites claim copyright, I somehow doubt they've all had copyright assigned to them by their designers....

[aspdaddy]

I think those sites are just claiming copyright of the presentation. I think code is covered by IPR, not copyright, which would pass from the contractor to client on payment unless stated otherwise in a contract...normally :)