> Most contracts don't allow for commercial side projects and the company owns anything you create even outside of working hours
Well, they don't. This is an obvious case of common law. An employer is not your slave master. Don't use your employer's resources, and you're fine. Plus, most employers don't want the expense of having to operate a product they have no knowledge of.
In some states, like California, this is explicit. If the employer is in California, I believe that, even if they write this in the contract, it's completely unenforceable. Feel free to cross it out, or sign it. There's no way it'd hold up in court; they can't even argue for it.
Well, they don't. This is an obvious case of common law. An employer is not your slave master. Don't use your employer's resources, and you're fine. Plus, most employers don't want the expense of having to operate a product they have no knowledge of.
In some states, like California, this is explicit. If the employer is in California, I believe that, even if they write this in the contract, it's completely unenforceable. Feel free to cross it out, or sign it. There's no way it'd hold up in court; they can't even argue for it.