IBM ends inventor reward program, cancels points for patents
www.theregister.com
Big Blue staffers aren't pleased to lose out on potential bonuses
  • AutoTL;DRB
    1•6 months ago

    This is the best summary I could come up with:

    Exclusive IBM has canceled a program that rewarded inventors at Big Blue for patents or publications, leaving some angry that they are missing out on potential bonuses.

    By cancelling the scheme, a source told The Register, IBM has eliminated a financial liability by voiding the accrued, unredeemed credits issued to program participants which could have been converted into potential cash awards.

    We’re told that IBM’s invention review process could take months, meaning that employees just didn’t have time between the announcement and the program sunset to pursue the next plateau and cash out.

    Citing the revised award scheme, one question read, “Do we allow customers to unilaterally cancel the payment schedule after work has been delivered?”

    We’re told these represented the most upvoted questions submitted to the CEO’s recent monthly Office Hours meeting, but the response was evasive.

    A former IBMer reports that a colleague still with Big Blue said, "My opinion…the invention award program was buggered a long time [ago].

    The original article contains 471 words, the summary contains 161 words. Saved 66%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!