Question

Sarah works for International Visions Publishing as a travel writer. She recently authored a book for ex-pats on relocating and opening a restaurant in Paraguay. Who is the owner of the copyright?

A. Sarah, because she is the original author of the work
B. International Visions Publishing, which paid Sarah for this work as part of her normal job duties
C. The Paraguay government, because of an agreement with International Visions Publishing
D. Sarah, because no one can replicate the original works of an author without their permission

Answer 1

In the case of Sarah's book written as part of her normal job duties for her employer, International Visions Publishing owns the copyright, which falls under the 'work made for hire' doctrine.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question is who owns the copyright of a book authored by Sarah, an employee of International Visions Publishing, on relocating and opening a restaurant in Paraguay. According to the U.S. Copyright Office, copyright protection is offered for 'original works of authorship' and generally lasts for the life of the author plus 70 years. However, in a situation where an author creates a work as part of their employment duties, the concept of 'work made for hire' could apply, and the copyright might actually belong to the employer. In this particular case, it appears that Sarah's work would likely be considered a 'work made for hire' since it was part of her normal job duties. Consequently, the copyright owner would be International Visions Publishing, making option B the correct answer.