Intellectual Property Policy

INTRODUCTION
Purpose

The purpose of this Policy is to provide our employees, as well as external entrepreneurs and inventors, with Kavanagh Industries’ (Kavanagh) approach to Intellectual Property (I.P.). These guidelines have been provided to assist employees and others to:
a) Understand how we view I.P. and
b) Feel comfortable in telling us their ideas

Kavanagh will use these guidelines when assessing ideas from employees and when assessing ideas received from external entrepreneurs/ inventors.

Where I.P. exists, Kavanagh has three possible alternative views of your idea:

  1. As an employee, it may be Kavanagh’s I.P. because of how it relates to your normal role within the company
  2. We may see it as an opportunity for joint I.P. ownership
  3. We may view it solely as your I.P.
GENERAL GUIDELINES
Employees

The following guidelines apply to employees, full or part-time, employees, contractors and temporary appointments:

  1. I.P. is considered to be the property of Kavanagh when your idea, product or service:
    a) Is an extension of your usual work and/ or part of your position description
    b) Is something that would normally be expected of you as part of your remuneration
    c) Is a logical improvement in carrying out your normal tasks. For example, you may be working in our accounts receivable department and have written a small program using the software installed on Kavanagh computer systems that significantly improves our ability to recover outstanding debts. This would be considered to be part of your normal role.

2. I.P. is considered to be joint I.P. where your idea is directly associated with our business and it is reasonable to expect that the work environment has contributed to your idea, and:
a) The opportunity for improvement is outside your normal duties
b) It is capable of being patented or is subject to copyright

For example, you work in the drafting department and you thought of a new innovative product that can be added to our product range. We would be inclined to consider this to be joint I.P.

3. I.P. may be considered to be yours when it relates to something outside our business.

If you came up with a completely new business idea that is currently outside our industry we may consider this to be your I.P.

External Entrepreneurs/ Inventors

If you are not a Kavanagh employee we may consider the I.P. to be yours, even if the idea is associated with our industry.

The following guidelines also apply:

  1. I.P. may be considered to be joint I.P. where your idea is directly associated with our business and it is reasonable to expect that your association with our work environment has contributed to your idea, and it is capable of being patented or is subject to copyright.
    For example, you work within the industry and you thought of a new innovative product that can be added to our product range. We would be inclined to consider this to be joint I.P.
  2. I.P. may be considered to be yours when it relates to something outside our business.
    The Rules
    • An idea must fit the definition of I.P.
    • All ownership and joint ownership issues are subject to agreement between the parties
    • Reward and compensation applies even where there is no I.P. (Please refer to our Reward and Remuneration Policy)