Compensation for scripting implementation

I started work in company with no scripting abillities. With a time I learnt actions, then scripts that I started using in my workflow. It surely accelerated everything I was doing while others doing the same manualy were hours back behind me. Management noticed it and paid me money for letting other employes using my scripts. Each time after company had some new project to introduce they were taking me into consideration - could be something possible or just done in amount that would be profitable. Too bad not all I did they wanted to pay me for as they wanted to be secure and engage more workers than having program that would reduce their quantity. If there was something regular employee couldn't do within certain time or simply something that company had to purchase from outside that costed them quite much, they asked me to do the same for extra money or regular raised monthly fee.

Hi,

I agree with Stephen. If you are working in a permanent, salary based position for a company, it generally owns anything you create as part of your work, particularly if you're using their equipment (e.g. computer). If you were a contractor, you may own the IP of something created but it depends on the contract. A photographer who takes pictures for a customer's wedding still owns the copyright of the photos, even though he/she is getting paid to take them.

For you, my advice is similar to Stephen - at your next position review (or something similar), ask how the promotion / raise opportunities are handled in the company. If they see the value in you and retaining you in the company, they may be open to giving you a raise. If you feel you are are not being valued and taken advantage of, you could look elsewhere.

I realise it is easy to give the above advice being very removed from the situation. I wish you all the best.

Generally anything you do while employed is considered the IP of the employer, unless it was arranged and performed under a separate specific contract. Yes, you could tactfully and gracefully use this work for positioning yourself when you have a review… Just remember that they may hold the position that they don’t owe you anything extra and that what you did counts for nothing in a review. Good luck!