Last Updated: 3/18/2021
Intellectual Property Policy
- Purpose
- Covered Parties
- Definition of Terms
- Trade Secrets
1. Purpose
The purpose of this Intellectual Property Policy is to define the rights of Uniforms2Gear, its corporate team, employees, contractors, and clients (whether current or prospective) with respect to ownership and administration of intellectual property.
In the course of production, product development, service work, and other activities, Uniforms2Gear employees and contractors create copyrightable works, develop trade secrets, and other forms of intellectual property that merit legal protection and have financial value.
2. Covered Parties
This policy applies to all Uniforms2Gear Corporate Team, employees, contractors, and clients (whether current or prospective) and relates to all forms of intellectual property subject to legal protection in the United States and/or internationally.
3. Definition of Terms
Author – Creator of any original work that produces Intellectual Property.
Client – Any past, current, or potential customer of Uniforms2Gear in which Uniforms2Gear Work is completed for, whether charged for or not.
Employee – Any individual employed by Uniforms2Gear, including full- and part-time employees, temporary or seasonal employees, as well as previous or future employed personnel.
Intellectual Property – A collective term identifying work created at Uniforms2Gear that may be protected by copyrights, trade secrets, protections, trademarks, and/or patents, regardless of whether formal protection is sought.
Invention – Any discovery or creation of a process, digital file, program, design, article of manufacture, or machine that represents a significant improvement relative to the state of the art.
Inventor – Sole or joint authors or originators of Intellectual Property. The terms “Author(s)” and “Inventor(s)” are used interchangeably throughout this Policy.
Net Revenues – Income received by Uniforms2Gear from activities associated with use of an Invention.
Uniforms2Gear Work – For the purpose of this policy and any documents developed for its implementation, Uniforms2Gear Work is defined as artwork creation, service work and alterations for clothing and garments of any type, or other activity performed by and individual:
1. that is related to duties or responsibilities for which said individual has been compensated either by or through Uniforms2Gear; or
2. that makes use of facilities and equipment owned, operated, or controlled by Uniforms2Gear.
4. Trade Secrets
Uniforms2Gear owns all Intellectual Property resulting from Uniforms2Gear Work, including but not limited to, trade secrets. As a condition of employment or other involvement in Uniforms2Gear Work, Inventor(s) agree to abide by this Policy, and assign to Uniforms2Gear ownership, right, title, and interest in any and all Intellectual Property resulting from Uniforms2Gear Work. The scope of Intellectual Property that Uniforms2Gear owns includes but is not limited to the following:
- Any digital files resulting from the creation of digitizing files for the intention/purpose of embroidering.
- Any digital files resulting from the creation of vector or artwork files for the intention/purpose of screen printing, vinyl, or similar applications.
- Any notes or documentation relating to the creation, improvement, or further clarity of Uniforms2Gear Work.
- Any processes or Standard Operating Procedures created by Uniforms2Gear or from Uniforms2Gear Work.
In the case that Uniforms2Gear bills clients for Artwork Creation Fees associated with the creation of any digital files referenced above including reasonable work not listed, Uniforms2Gear does not transfer ownership, right, title, or interest in any of its Intellectual Property.
Uniforms2Gear acknowledges that it does not own original ownership, rights, or licensing to any designs, files, logos, or other artwork provided by Clients, and that those rights and ownership are the Clients unless licensed to Uniforms2Gear in writing. However, any work completed by Uniforms2Gear to take the original designs and develop them for Uniforms2Gear Work creates Inventions that are Intellectual Property of Uniforms2Gear. At the Client’s behest, Uniforms2Gear will cease production of any work that involves the Client’s original designs, files, logos, or other artwork, but Uniforms2Gear will retain its sole ownership, right, title, and interest in any and all subsequent Intellectual Property that Uniforms2Gear created.