I ran into this trouble just recently, in taking a job while still in grad school in California. The school has pretty broad language about owning all my ideas, but does reference Section 2870. On reading Section 2870, there are exceptions about ideas which relate to the employer's business (or anticipated business)... but what does this mean for the University of California?
My take is that the code doesn't specifically limit the exception to my job function; it's broadly worded to cover the whole of the business. And the UC works on so many areas of research that this essentially means that you can't work anywhere else at the same time if that other work requires any kind of confidentiality.
I tried to engage the IP department at my school about this, but got shuffled around and basically told that there are no exceptions or clarifications. They essentially supported this interpretation I have, and referred me to memos that explain the policy in more detail.
What I can't figure out is this: the policy requires that all students submit potential IP to them for evaluation. That includes IP from summer internships. Why are companies okay with this? In practice, I don't believe many (any?) students do this, but the Director stopped answering my emails when I tried to probe this question more deeply.
My take is that the code doesn't specifically limit the exception to my job function; it's broadly worded to cover the whole of the business. And the UC works on so many areas of research that this essentially means that you can't work anywhere else at the same time if that other work requires any kind of confidentiality.
I tried to engage the IP department at my school about this, but got shuffled around and basically told that there are no exceptions or clarifications. They essentially supported this interpretation I have, and referred me to memos that explain the policy in more detail.
What I can't figure out is this: the policy requires that all students submit potential IP to them for evaluation. That includes IP from summer internships. Why are companies okay with this? In practice, I don't believe many (any?) students do this, but the Director stopped answering my emails when I tried to probe this question more deeply.