Work for hire doctrine

The "work for hire" doctrine refers to a legal concept where, if a creative work is made specifically for an employer or as part of a job, the employer or the person who hired the creator automatically owns the rights to that work. This means the creator does not retain copyright; instead, the employer has control over how the work is used and owned. This typically applies when a work is created within the scope of employment or under a written agreement stating it is a work for hire.