What's So Free About Freelancing? -- The Second Circuit's Decision in Muchnik v. Thomson Corp. (In re Literary Works in Elec. Databases Copyright Litig.)
W hat's So Free About Freelancing? -- The S econd Circuit's Decision in Muchnik v. Thomson C orp. (In re Literar y Works in Elec. Databases Copyright Litig.)
William M. Hannay Schif H ardin LLP 0
0
0 by William M. Hannay, Partner, Schiff Hardin LLP, Adjunct Professor, IIT/Chicago-Kent Law School
-
already have on your new calendar (paper or
e-calendar: up-to-your library) the date of your
institutional benefits meeting.
You have gone over your new job
description with your supervisor, who has answered
all your questions patiently and completely,
taking time to make sure you understand it
all. You understand as well how the
performance process works, and what the schedule
is of your reviews. Your boss and you have
talked about your responsibilities and you
have a good idea of how to accomplish what
is expected of you. If appropriate, you have
a meeting on your calendar with your boss’s
boss. You are excited to meet with her and to
hear about her thoughts and expectations for
your department in general, and maybe you
and your work in particular. Wow, it’s Friday
already and you feel very confident that you
have a good understanding of what your job
entails and you are acquainted with the tools
and the primary people you need to work with
to get the work done. You have begun
working on a few projects already and have drafted
some plans to share with your new boss about
how to approach the upcoming work. Since
you have a scheduled meeting with him early
in your second week, you know you will be
able to get feedback right away on your ideas.
As well, you are beginning to feel like a true
employee of your new institution as you know
the support and informational options available
to you as a part of the larger work team.
For this second time period Edward’s task
as the supervisor is to make sure he has
contacted all the proper people, and if possible,
scheduled a few of the meetings and have them
in place before his new person begins. As for
the tour(s), he will want to make sure that each
department knows ahead of time that he plans
on walking his new employee though, and
giving people a chance to suggest a better time if
necessary, or else reminding people that day
about the upcoming visit by the new person.
Edward will want to add the new employee
into his own calendar to ensure that they have
a set time to meet. He will want to make sure
that his new person continues to feel engaged
as she becomes more involved in the
day-today workings of the library. Let’s take a look
at the first month. . .
Now you have been at work for a whole
month. Wow. You already feel devoted to
your boss, your department, the library and
your colleagues there, and you feel a part of
the rest of the larger institution. You have
had training sessions on all the software and
hardware applications you are now using.
This included a session on how the library IT
department organizes the computer desktops
used by all of the library staff. You know
how and where to save your work and how
to share it via the library’s intranet. You have
even drafted committee minutes to share with
the other group members on the committee
intranet site, and gotten feedback for the final
version from some of your new colleagues.
Though the email and calendaring software is
radically different from what you have used
before, you have been well-trained in how it
works and how the scheduling function can
save everyone time.
As for meetings, you have been to all of the
big staff and departmental meetings and been
introduced at each. New colleagues have come
up after the meeting to chat, or have sent you
emails to invite you to lunch to get to know
you. You have attended a new employee event,
where you met other new employees and have
made a couple of support friends already.
You have had a complete walking tour of
the entire campus, and have learned more about
the amenities offered to employees. Your
assigned library buddy did a fantastic job filling
you in on all the important details, like when
the campus post office closes on Friday
afternoons for example, and showing you a new
shortcut across the quad to your parking lot.
You have met with your boss at least once
a week and have had time to dive into your
work responsibilities. Because of these
meetings you have been able to correct some early
mistakes and feel like you will be able to ace
your 90 day review. All in all you are confident
and prepared to take on anything in your new
position. And if you aren’t prepared, then you
already have a support network of co-workers,
a library buddy, and other newbies to help you
figure things out.
Edward needs to maintain the balance
between giving his new employee guidance
and giving her enough space to make her own
mistakes during the next few months. He needs
to be available and supportive, yet remind the
new person that she has other sources she can
go to for advice and help. Edward also needs
to remember the common wisdom that it can
take up to eight (...truncated)