Works created after March 1, 1989, even if not published, are copyright protected for 70 years after the author’s death. Works made for hire (corporate authorship) after March 1, 1989 are copyright protected for 120 years from creation or 95 years from publication, whichever is sooner.
This rule, of course, means that you do not have to actively file for copyright notice to come under the protection of the copyright law. Under this rule, all creative work produced after March 1, 1989 becomes automatically covered. Now, for the second part of the rule.
What is this about works made for hire? The phrase works made for hire actually refers to publications issued for and by a corporation so that in effect, the legal author turns out to be the employer-corporation. That is why they are sometimes collectively referred to as corporate authorship and may include anything from newsletters to employee manuals, annual reports to instructional texts.
Works made for hire may also cover any situation wherein a creative professional is paid to produce a work within the scope of his own employment.
