If I invent something at work, can I claim ownership?

Generally an invention made during the course of an employee's normal duties, or in the course of duties specifically assigned, belongs to the employer.

Where the invention is patented by the employer and subsequently leads to outstanding benefits for the employer, taking account of the costs and time involved in making the invention, the employee may be able to claim a proportion of the benefits as compensation. The Patents Office have an informative website which has more details about how to bring such a claim www.patent.gov.uk.

In other circumstances, that is where the employee's invention is not part of normal duties or duties specifically assigned, an invention by the employee typically belongs to the employee.

In effect, the law now looks more favourably on the employee and, unless inventions are integral to the employee's duties or are an expected outcome, any inventions made will be deemed to be the property of the employee.

There are separate laws relating to copyright covering drama, music and literature. Sometimes there is an express term in the contract specifying to whom the copyright belongs. In the absence of any such term the presumption is that it belongs to the employer.