Invention Assignment The Executive agrees that any invention made by the Executive while employed shall belong to the Company if (i) it was made in the normal course of the duties of the Executive or in the course of duties falling outside the Executive's normal duties but specifically assigned to the Executive, and the circumstances in either case were such that an invention might reasonably be expected to result from the carrying out of such duties, or (ii) the invention was made in the course of the duties of the Executive and, at the time of making the invention, because of the nature of the Executive's duties and the particular responsibilities arising from the nature of the Executive's duties, the Executive had a special obligation to further the interests of the Company. In addition, if (x) the Executive while employed shall make any improvement or develop any know-how, copyrightable work or design, (y) such improvement, know-how, copyrightable work or design is relevant to the business of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, and (z) such improvement, know-how, copyrightable work or design arouse directly out of any work carried out while employed, or out of Confidential Company Information or Confidential Affiliate Information to which the Executive had access while in the employ of the Company, then such improvement, know-how, copyrightable work or design shall belong to the Company whether or not it was disclosed to the Company while employed by the Company.
A. In the event that the Executive makes any invention or develops any improvement, know-how, copyrightable design or work which belongs to the Company, the Executive shall fully, freely and immediately communicate the same to the Company and the Executive shall, if and as desired by the Company execute all documents and do all acts and things at the Company's cost which may be necessary or desirable to obtain letters patent or other adequate protection in any part of the world for such invention, improvement, know-how, copyrightable work or design and to vest the same in the Company for the Company's benefit. The Executive hereby irrevocably appoints the Company as the Executive's attorney in the Executive's name and on the Executive's behalf to execute all such deeds and documents and to do all such acts and things as may be necessary to give effect to this Subsection in the event that the Executive fails to comply within seven days with the written directions given by the Company pursuant to this Subsection.
B. The Executive has been notified and understands that the provisions of Subsections 6(g) and 6(h) hereof do not apply to any invention that qualifies fully under the provisions of Section 2870 of the California Labor Code, which states as follows:
(i) Any provision in an employment agreement which provides that an employee shall assign, or offer to assign, any of his or her rights in an invention to his or her employer shall not apply to an invention that the employee developed entirely on his or her own time without using the employer's equipment, supplies, facilities, or trade secret information except for those inventions that either:
(1) Relate at the time of conception or reduction to practice of the invention to the employer's business, or actual or demonstrably anticipated research or development of the employer; or
(2) Result from any work performed by the employee for the employer.
(ii) To the extent a provision in an employment agreement purports to require an employee to assign an invention otherwise excluded from being required to be assigned under subdivision (a), the provision is against the public policy of this state and is unenforceable.
Employee Inventions Each Employee Invention will belong exclusively to the Employer. The Executive acknowledges that all of the Executive's writing, works of authorship, specially commissioned works, and other Employee Inventions are works made for hire and the property of the Employer, including any copyrights, patents, or other intellectual property rights pertaining thereto. If it is determined that any such works are not works made for hire, the Executive hereby assigns to the Employer all of the Executive's right, title, and interest, including all rights of copyright, patent, and other intellectual property rights, to or in such Employee Inventions. The Executive covenants that he will promptly:
(i) disclose to the Employer in writing any Employee Invention;
(ii) assign to the Employer or to a party designated by the Employer, at the Employer's request and without additional compensation, all of the Executive's right to the Employee Invention for the United States and all foreign jurisdictions;
(iii) execute and deliver to the Employer such applications, assignments, and other documents as the Employer may request in order to apply for and obtain patents or other registrations with respect to any Employee Invention in the United States and any foreign jurisdictions;
(iv) sign all other papers necessary to carry out the above obligations; and
(v) give testimony and render any other assistance in support of the Employer's rights to any Employee Invention.
Proprietary Information Agreement Employee has executed a Proprietary Information Agreement as a condition of employment with the Company. The Proprietary Information Agreement shall not be limited by this Employment Agreement in any manner, and the Employee shall act in accordance with the provisions of the Proprietary Information Agreement at all times during the Term of this Employment Agreement.
Non Disclosure Covenant Employee Inventions 7.1. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS BY THE EXECUTIVE Executive acknowledges that (2) during the Employment Period and as a part of his employment, Executive will be afforded access to Confidential Information; (b) public disclosure of such Confidential Information could have an adverse effect on Employer and its business; (c) the Employer has required that Executive make the covenants in this Section 7; and (d) the provisions of this Section 7 are reasonable and necessary to prevent the improper use or disclosure of Confidential Information.
Noncompetition Agreement (a) Employee shall not, during the term of his employment hereunder, be engaged in any other business activity pursued for gain, profit or other pecuniary advantage if such activity interferes with Employee's duties and responsibilities hereunder. The foregoing limitations shall not be construed as prohibiting Employee from making personal investments in such form or manner as will neither require his services in the operation or affairs of the companies or enterprises in which such investments are made nor violate the terms of this paragraph 3. Employee will not, during the period of his employment by or with Employer, and for a period of two (2) years immediately following the termination of his employment under this Agreement, except as provided below, directly or indirectly, for himself or on behalf of or in conjunction with any other person, persons, company, partnership, corporation or business of whatever nature:
(i) engage, as an officer, director, shareholder, owner, partner, joint venturer, or in a managerial capacity, whether as an employee, independent contractor, consultant or advisor, or as a sales representative, in any business in direct competition with Employer or the Company within 100 miles of where the Company or any of its subsidiaries conduct business, including any territory serviced by the Company or any of such subsidiaries (the "TERRITORY");
(ii) call upon any person who is, at that time, an employee of Employer or the Company (including the respective subsidiaries thereof) in a sales or managerial capacity for the purpose or with the intent of enticing such employee away from or out of the employ of Employer or the Company (including the respective subsidiaries thereof);
(iii) call upon any person or entity which is, at that time, or which has been, within one (1) year prior to that time, a customer of the Company (including the respective subsidiaries thereof) for the purpose of soliciting or selling products or services in direct competition with the Company; or
(iv) call upon any prospective acquisition candidate, on Employee's own behalf or on behalf of any competitor, which candidate was, to Employee's actual knowledge after due inquiry, either called upon by Employer or the Company (including the respective subsidiaries thereof) or for which Employer or the Company made an acquisition analysis for the purpose of acquiring such entity or all or substantially all of such entity's assets. Notwithstanding the above, the foregoing covenant shall not be deemed to prohibit Employee from acquiring as a passive investment not more than two percent (2%) of the capital stock of a competing business the stock of which is traded on a national securities exchange or on an over-the -counter or similar market.
(b) Because of the difficulty of measuring economic losses to Employer or the Company as a result of a breach of the foregoing covenant, and because of the immediate and irreparable damage that could be caused to Employer or the Company for which they would have no other adequate remedy, Employee agrees that the foregoing covenant may be enforced by Employer or the Company in the event of breach or threatened breach by Employee, by injunctions, restraining orders and other appropriate equitable relief.
(c) It is agreed by the parties that the foregoing covenants in this paragraph 3 impose a reasonable restraint on Employee in light of the activities and business of the Company (including the Company's subsidiaries) on the date of the execution of this Agreement and the current plans of the Company (including the Company's subsidiaries); but it is also the intent of the Company and Employee that such covenants be construed and enforced in accordance with the changing activities, business and locations of the Company (including the Company's subsidiaries) throughout the term of this covenant, whether before or after the date of termination of the employment of Employee. For example, if, during the term of this Agreement, the Company (including the Company's subsidiaries) engages in new and different activities, enters a new business or establishes new locations for its current activities or business in addition to or other than the activities or business enumerated under the Recitals above or the locations currently established therefor, then Employee will be precluded from soliciting the customers or Employees of such new activities or business or from such new location and from directly competing with such new business within 100 miles of its then-established operating location(s) through the term of this covenant. It is further agreed by the parties hereto that, in the event that Employee shall cease to be employed hereunder, and shall enter into a business or pursue other activities not in competition with the Company (including the Company's subsidiaries), or similar activities or business in locations the operation of which, under such circumstances, does not violate clause (i) of paragraph 3(a), Employee shall not be chargeable with a violation of this paragraph 3 if the Company (including the Company's subsidiaries) shall thereafter enter the same, similar or a competitive (i) business, (ii) course of activities or (iii) location, as applicable.
(d) The covenants in this paragraph 3 are severable and separate, and the unenforceability of any specific covenant shall not affect the provisions of any other covenant. Moreover, in the event any court of competent jurisdiction shall determine that the scope, time or territorial restrictions set forth herein are unreasonable, then it is the intention of the parties that such restrictions be enforced to the fullest extent which the court deems reasonable, and this Agreement shall thereby be reformed.
(e) All of the covenants in this paragraph 3 shall be construed as an agreement independent of any other provision in this Agreement, and the existence of any claim or cause of action of Employee against Employer or the Company, whether predicated on this Agreement or otherwise, shall not constitute a defense to the enforcement by Employer or the Company of such covenants. It is specifically agreed that the period of two (2) years following termination of employment stated at the beginning of this paragraph 3, during which the agreements and covenants of Employee made in this paragraph 3 shall be effective, shall be computed by excluding from such computation any time during which Employee is in violation of any provision of this paragraph 3.
Non-Competition Agreement (a) Executive shall not, during the term of his employment hereunder, be engaged in any other business activity pursued for gain, profit or other pecuniary advantage if such activity interferes in any material respect with Executive's duties and responsibilities hereunder. The foregoing limitations shall not be construed as prohibiting Executive from making personal investments in such form or manner as will neither require his services in the operation or affairs of the companies or enterprises in which such investments are made nor violate the terms of this paragraph 3. In addition, Executive shall not, during the period of his employment by or with the Company, and for a period of two (2) years immediately following the termination of his employment under this Agreement, for any reason whatsoever, other than a termination by the Company without cause or by Executive for Good Reason, directly or indirectly, for himself or on behalf of or in conjunction with any other person, company, partnership, corporation or business of whatever nature:
(i) engage, as an officer, director, shareholder, owner, partner, joint venturer, or in a managerial capacity, whether as an employee, independent contractor, consultant or advisor, or as a sales representative, in any business in direct competition with the Company or Metals, within 200 miles of where the Company or any of Metals' subsidiaries conducts business, including any territory serviced by the Company or Metals or any of such subsidiaries (the "Territory");
(ii) call upon any person who is, at that time, within the Territory, an employee of the Company or Metals (including the respective subsidiaries thereof) in a managerial capacity for the purpose or with the intent of enticing such employee away from or out of the employ of the Company or Metals (including the respective subsidiaries thereof);
(iii) call upon any person or entity which is, at that time, or which has been, within one (1) year prior to that time, a customer of the Company or Metals (including the respective subsidiaries thereof) within the Territory for the purpose of soliciting or selling products or services in direct competition with the Company or Metals within the Territory;
(iv) call upon any prospective acquisition candidate, on Executive's own behalf or on behalf of any competitor, which candidate was, to Executive's actual knowledge after due inquiry, either called upon by the Company or Metals (including the respective subsidiaries thereof) or for which the Company or Metals made an acquisition analysis, for the purpose of acquiring such entity. Notwithstanding the above, the foregoing covenant shall not be deemed to prohibit Executive from acquiring as an investment not more than one percent (1%) of the capital stock of a competing business, whose stock is traded on a national securities exchange or on an over-the-counter or similar market.
(b) Because of the difficulty of measuring economic losses to the Company and Metals as a result of a breach of the foregoing covenant, and because of the immediate and irreparable damage that could be caused to the Company and Metals for which they would have no other adequate remedy, Executive agrees that the foregoing covenant may be enforced by Metals or the Company in the event of breach by him, by injunctions and restraining orders.
(c) It is agreed by the parties that the foregoing covenants in this paragraph 3 impose a reasonable restraint on Executive in light of the activities and business of the Company or Metals, as the case may be (including Metals' other subsidiaries) on the date of the execution of this Agreement and the current plans of Metals (including Metals' other subsidiaries); but it is also the intent of the Company and Executive that such covenants be construed and enforced in accordance with the changing activities, business and locations of the Company and Metals, as the case may be (including Metals' other subsidiaries) throughout the term of this covenant, whether before or after the date of termination of the employment of Executive. For example, if, during the term of this Agreement, the Company or Metals, as the case may be (including Metals' other subsidiaries) engages in new and different activities, enters a new business or establishes new locations for its current activities or business in addition to or other than the activities or business enumerated under the Recitals above or the locations currently established therefor, then Executive will be precluded from soliciting the customers or employees of such new activities or business or from such new location and from directly competing with such new business within 200 miles of its then-established operating location(s) through the term of this covenant. It is further agreed by the parties hereto that, in the event that Executive shall cease to be employed hereunder, and shall enter into a business or pursue other activities not in competition with the Company or Metals (including Metals' other subsidiaries), or similar activities or business in locations the operation of which, under such circumstances, does not violate clause (i) of this paragraph 3, and in any event such new business, activities or location are not in violation of this paragraph 3 or of Executive's obligations under this paragraph 3, if any, Executive shall not be chargeable with a violation of this paragraph 3 if the Company or Metals (including Metals' other subsidiaries) shall thereafter enter the same, similar or a competitive (i) business, (ii) course of activities or (iii) location, as applicable.
(d) The covenants in this paragraph 3 are severable and separate, and the unenforceability of any specific covenant shall not affect the provisions of any other covenant. Moreover, in the event any court of competent jurisdiction shall determine that the scope, time or territorial restrictions set forth are unreasonable, then it is the intention of the parties that such restrictions be enforced to the fullest extent which the court deems reasonable, and the Agreement shall thereby be reformed.
(e) All of the covenants in this paragraph 3 shall be construed as an agreement independent of any other provision in this Agreement, and the existence of any claim or cause of action of Executive against the Company or Metals, whether predicated on this Agreement or otherwise, shall not constitute a defense to the enforcement by Metals or the Company of such covenants. It is specifically agreed that the period of two (2) years following termination of employment stated at the beginning of this paragraph 3, during which the agreements and covenants of Executive made in this paragraph 3 shall be effective, shall be computed by excluding from such computation any time during which Executive is in violation of any provision of this paragraph 3.
Confidential Information and Invention Assignment Agreement Executive acknowledges that he has previously executed and delivered to an officer of the Company the Company’s Confidential Information and Invention Assignment Agreement (the “Confidentiality Agreement”) and that the Confidentiality Agreement remains in full force and effect.
Proprietary Information Agreements Each employee and officer of the Company has executed a Proprietary Information and Inventions Agreement, and each consultant to the Company has executed a Consulting Agreement in substantially the forms made available to the Investors. The Company is not aware that any of its employees, officers or consultants are in violation thereof, and the Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to prevent any such violation.
Inventions Assignment During the Employment Period, the Executive shall promptly disclose, grant and assign to the Company for its and its Affiliates’ sole use and benefit any and all inventions, improvements, technical information and suggestions reasonably relating to the business of the Company and its Affiliates (collectively, the “Inventions”) that the Executive may develop or acquire during the Employment Period (whether or not during usual working hours), together with all patent applications, letters patent, copyrights and reissues thereof that may at any time be granted for or with respect to the Inventions. In connection with the previous sentence, the Executive shall, at the expense of the Company, including a reasonable payment based on the Executive’s last per diem earnings with the Company for the time involved if (a) the Executive is not then in the Company’s employ, or (b) if the Executive is not then receiving severance payments pursuant to Section 8(b) above, or (c) if the Executive has not otherwise received one or more severance payments with respect to such period (whether on a lump sum, pre-paid, or accelerated basis or otherwise), (i) promptly execute and deliver such applications, assignments, descriptions and other instruments as may be necessary or proper in the opinion of the Company to vest title to the Inventions and any patent applications, patents, copyrights, reissues or other proprietary rights related thereto in the Company and to enable it to obtain and maintain the entire right and title thereto throughout the world, and (ii) render such reasonable assistance to the Company as may be required in the prosecution of applications for said patents, copyrights, reissues or other proprietary rights, in the prosecution or defense of interferences or infringements that may be declared involving any said applications, patents, copyrights or other proprietary rights and in any litigation in which the Company may be involved relating to the Inventions. The covenant contained in this Section 11 shall survive the termination or expiration of the Employment Period and any termination of this Agreement.
Nondisclosure Agreement You will comply with the covenant regarding confidential information in Section 17 of the Employment Agreement, which covenant is incorporated herein by reference.
