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Work Made for Hire Agreement
Free work made for hire agreement template — confirms that a commissioned work's copyright belongs to the hiring party from the moment of creation.
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This free work made for hire agreement covers 1. Work Made for Hire, 2. Backup Assignment, 3. Compensation, 4. Moral Rights Waiver, 5. Warranty with 5 clearly marked [placeholder] fields to fill in — built for founders, freelancers, and small business owners formalizing a business decision or agreement without paying a lawyer to draft it from scratch. Copy it into your own word processor, fill in the placeholders, and review it — or adapt it — before use. It's part of docstoc's free document template library, alongside business, legal, real estate, finance, and HR templates. Every template here is free to copy with no signup required, and each one carries a plain disclaimer: this is a starting point for informational purposes, not a substitute for advice from a licensed professional in your jurisdiction.
Work Made for Hire Agreement
Hiring Party: [Company Name] · Creator: [Name] · Work: [Description] · Date: [Date]
1. Work Made for Hire
Creator agrees that the work described above, created under this Agreement, is a "work made for hire" as defined under the U.S. Copyright Act, and that Hiring Party is the sole author and owner of all copyright in the Work from the moment of its creation.
2. Backup Assignment
To the extent any portion of the Work is determined NOT to qualify as a work made for hire under applicable law, Creator hereby assigns all right, title, and interest in that portion to Hiring Party.
3. Compensation
Hiring Party will pay Creator [Amount], as full consideration for the Work and the rights granted above.
4. Moral Rights Waiver
To the extent permitted by law, Creator waives any moral rights in the Work.
5. Warranty
Creator warrants the Work is original and does not infringe any third party's rights.
6. Further Assurances
Creator will execute any additional documents reasonably requested by Hiring Party to confirm or perfect its ownership of the Work.
Hiring Party: ______________________ Date: ____________ Creator: ______________________ Date: ____________
*This document is provided for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Under US copyright law, "work made for hire" status for an independent contractor (as opposed to an employee) is legally valid ONLY for specific categories of commissioned works listed in the Copyright Act — Section 2's backup assignment language exists precisely because a work outside those categories doesn't automatically qualify no matter what the contract calls it.*
Edit directly in the box above. Download PDF anytime — the docstoc.io footer is always included and cannot be removed.
What's included
- Edit online — click the document, fill in placeholders, download a PDF
- 6 standard sections: 1. Work Made for Hire, 2. Backup Assignment, 3. Compensation, 4. Moral Rights Waiver, 5. Warranty, 6. Further Assurances
- 5 clearly marked [placeholder] fields for quick personalizing
- Free to use — no account or signup required
- Fully editable — adjust any clause to match your actual situation
- Includes a signature block, ready to print or sign digitally
- Fixed docstoc.io footer on every PDF (not removable)
Who this template is for
Freelancers & solo founders
Handling routine business paperwork without commissioning custom legal drafting for every document.
Small businesses
Standardizing recurring documents — leases, agreements, notices — across a growing operation.
Anyone reviewing before signing
Using a clear starting structure to understand what a document should cover, even if a lawyer finalizes it.
Early-stage businesses
Getting the basics documented before things get more complex.
FAQ
Is this work made for hire agreement template really free?
Yes, completely free — view, edit, and download this work made for hire agreement as a PDF without creating an account.
What does this work made for hire agreement cover?
This business template includes 1. Work Made for Hire, 2. Backup Assignment, 3. Compensation, 4. Moral Rights Waiver. Fill in the [bracketed] placeholders, edit any clause online, then download a PDF — the docstoc.io footer stays on every export.
Is this legal advice?
No. This is a general-purpose starting structure, not advice for your specific situation. Business agreements can hinge on details — state of formation, industry-specific regulation, how a dispute would actually play out — that a template can't account for. Have a business attorney review anything that involves real money or real risk before you rely on it.
Can I edit the wording?
Yes — edit directly on the page, adjust any section or clause, and re-fill the 5 placeholder fields to match your situation before downloading a PDF. It's a starting structure, not a rigid script.
Where can I find more free templates like this?
Browse more free business and related document templates in the docstoc library at /document-templates/.
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Why use this instead of a generic template
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Templates are drafted for general use, not a substitute for legal advice — check the note on each page for specifics.
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Speed
Copy the subject and body directly — no form to fill in, no export step, no waiting on a download link.
Mobile-friendly
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