I am being asked to sign an non-disclosure agreement and one of the sections focuses on the ownership of any "works" (defined broadly to include everything from ideas to tangible products) which I might produce while employed.
The first two paragraphs in the section state very clearly that everything I produce belongs to the employing company.
The third paragraph seems to grant me the right to produce non-competitive products as long as I do it on my own time and do not use the company's equipment or trade secrets.
As an budding entrepreneur, I will not sign this agreement unless this third paragraph overpowers the statements of the previous two.
Unfortunately, the third paragraph begins with a phrase that I don't know how to interpret...
"Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, any provision of this Agreement which provides for me to assign any of my rights to a Work shall not apply to any invention developed on my own time without using equipment, supplies, facilities or trade secrets..."
So here is my question...
Does the phrase "Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement" mean...
a). "Subordinate to everything else contained in this Agreement..."
...or...
b). "Overriding everything else contained in this Agremeent..."
...or...
c). something else entirely?