intellectual-property software employment minor
Does a 16yo without a work permit have rights to the code he was paid to develop?
<ul>
<li>I am sixteen, and I have a summer job for a software company.</li>
<li>In my state (Maine), a work permit from school is required for someone of my age to have a job but it was never filled out. I assume someone forgot.</li>
<li>I am also aware that minors can void contracts. However, I am unsure whether or not that extends to employment contracts.</li>
<li>I, along with one other employee, am currently putting work towards a ~$100,000 contract, and am being paid the same as I would be had I worked at the local McDonalds.</li>
<li>During the course of the job, I wrote software on computers provided by the company.</li>
</ul>

<p>Can I void the contract, and claim the work I did as my intellectual property?</p>

<p>Am I even technically employed given I never submitted a work permit?</p>

<h2>No</h2>

<p>As a 16 year old you do not need a <a href="https://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/26/title26sec775.html" rel="noreferrer">Child Work Permit</a> - these are required for "[a] minor <strong>under</strong> 16 years of age".</p>

<p>Notwithstanding, minor's contracts can be classified as <em>valid, voidable</em> or <em>void</em>. There are two types of <em>valid</em> contracts:</p>

<ol>
<li>Contracts for "necessaries", and</li>
<li><strong>Employment</strong>, apprenticeship and training contracts.</li>
</ol>

<p>Your <strong>employment</strong> contract is binding and any IP you produced in the course of it belongs to your employer.</p>
