Funny, I've been sure to add / ensure that there were clauses in my employment contracts that prevent this sort of thing from happening. In fact, I'm about to start a flex-time contract position that will allow me to work on toy/potentially-interesting projects on my own time, that I will own. In NYC.<p>YMMV...<p>(I guess my point is: do you have more than anecdotal evidence to back this up? I don't, but you don't seem to either - I'm not aware of anything in NYS law that requires all that you do while employed at a company, even when not done on employer dime/equipment/time/space, to be owned by said employer)