As a company owner, as soon as I read, "I've developed it on my own time but the product directly relates to what my employer does"
> "Directly relates to what my employer does"
You will face multiple charges. You have no IDEA - how brutal it can be in court.
In 99% case - You will fail mostly because - you built your company competitor while working in a company that is more likely to become your future competitor if court grants you your right. This will break 99.999% company of the world.
In many of the employee contracts - Some/Most of the Company has a clause that - you won't be working for the next 18 months or any X months in a company or product that is directly their competitor.
My Suggestion as a company, "Be Polite to your BOSS and tell them every truth on why you built", "what provoked you building something like this outside of the company", "How would you like to see yourself in next 10 year".
If your company is really "p* off", Max, they will do is, they will stop some future promotion and would most likely keep you away from most of their work, they will remain alert on your every step and would call a lawyer to inform you a certain thing, for which they don't have to bear the cost of fighting court case at the end, company saving money.
============= THINGS WOULD HAVE BEEN LITTLE DIFFERENT ########
If you would not have built anything related to what your employer does or what your company does.
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Imagine you have company and you hired some employee. Now all or some or one of them has build something related to exactly what your company does, how would you handle?
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