All copyright on work done on my laptop belongs to me, and only me. You can 'rent' it by paying me my wage but as soon as I leave, all code on it is mine and I'm taking it with me for future 'reference'. Don't know how this works legally but since I'm not a self employed person who has a business contract, I'm pretty sure you cannot legally force someone to use their own stuff without compensation.
In the US at least, any work you do for an employer and get paid for is covered under what are called work-for-hire laws which assign the copyright to the company, unless you have a written contract stating otherwise. This is true regardless of what equipment you use, and there’s absolutely zero legal barrier to a company asking you to use your own equipment in the course of a job without any compensation. The fact that your ultimatum wasn’t met with a “lol no” from Legal is pure luck.
Re:Who Killed the Junior Developer?
by throwawayfh9 on Wednesday February 14, 2018 @09:49AM
(#16376057)
Why are the people who are so cocksure always the ones who know the least? “I’ve (incorrectly) interpreted copyright law, and I admit I don’t know how the law works, but I’m pretty sure I’m right.”
Re:Who Killed the Junior Developer?
by BraveNewCurency on Wednesday February 14, 2018 @12:54PM
(#16377708)
Re:Who Killed the Junior Developer?
by mywittyname on Wednesday February 14, 2018 @05:32PM
(#16380132)
They don't think the rules apply to them, so they don't care what the rules are.
>I'm pretty sure you cannot legally force someone to use their own stuff without compensation.
That's the norm in some professions. Welders and mechanics often have their own tools, which can cost a lot more than a laptop.
I told them they could pay me a compensation (for using/bringing my own tools) but that is quite expensive since most deductions don't count for this. Even more expensive than buying a proper laptop. Quite quickly I got a proper company laptop after finances improved to resolve the issue.
On another note:
In my experience the term 'middle management' is a synonym for corrupt, useless idiots so getting rid of them saves huge amounts of money since they add no value to any product or to the company as a whole. Unfortunately there is no way to even moderately grow within most companies around here except for a management track which is idiotic since specialists are way more valuable to the gross product of the company.
and: Never underestimate the value of skilled workers and how to keep them or train them. In software they are your main business. Everything else is easily replaceable.