Ask HN: Navigating IP Clauses in Employment Contract
Would love for some advice on a decision I'm facing. I received an employment contract from a company in Israel that specializes in institutional crypto wallets. However, I also have a strong interest in working on personal side projects within the crypto industry, such as retail crypto wallets or retail crypto tax apps.
The issue is that the employment contract contains broad language regarding the ownership of Intellectual Property (IP). It covers IP that is "related, directly or indirectly to any field of business, activity, technology or operation in which the Company engages or intends to engage." I'm concerned that this could potentially affect my ability to work on personal projects within the crypto space without the company claiming ownership of my work.
I haven't signed the contract yet, so I wanted to get your opinions on the situation:
* Should I sign the contract and potentially risk the company claiming ownership of my personal projects within the crypto industry, is this something that is commno within the tech industry and nobody is really suing for this?
* Has anyone negotiated IP clauses in an employment contract to protect their personal projects? If so, how did you approach this?