>So, do the routines that I have developed over time and use regularly (some of the logic goes *way* back) remain my intellectual property even if embedded in something that I have written as an employee? After all I'm not going to reinvent the wheel every time I start a new project or join a new company -- that's just not realistic.

Software written by employees of a company, unless agreements between the company and the employee state otherwise, are the property of the company. If you use routines and algorithms learned or developed before your employement with the company you should have signed and dated printouts of such code in the presence of a notary public, as proof of your intellectual rights.


>Of course the burden of proof lies with me... so unless I take my routines and copyright them *Before* I join company X then there's no way I can get royalties from them.

> Unless you can prove the code existed in projects begun and completed by you before your term of employment began with your current company.

Good luck.
Jerry