[Aurornis]

This is dated 1997, so a lot could have changed since then.

You're right that California has IP assignment limitation clauses that override anything in the boilerplate employment contracts. I know one person who blew up their job offer by trying to get it modified to limit the IP assignment clause, but the company had a hardline stance that they didn't do one-off contracts with employees. Later they realized their state had already limited IP assignment, so the entire battle was moot.

[ryandrake]

California’s law has a truck-sized loophole though: if the IP in question relates in an way to your employer’s current or anticipated work/research, then they may claim it. Not your work at the company. The company’s work or their future work. And these big companies can believably claim that the scope of their work and research is huge and all-encompassing.