What is generally presumed to be owned by the employer when created by an employee?

The concept of "work made for hire" is a legal doctrine that designates works created by an employee as property of the employer, provided that the work is done in the scope of employment. This means that when an employee creates a piece of work—such as a program, written document, artwork, or other creative output—during the course of their employment, the employer automatically owns the rights to that work. This principle is grounded in the idea that since the employer provides the resources, the work environment, and compensation, they have a rightful claim over the outcomes produced during employment.

In contrast, the other choices do not encapsulate the same legal presumption of ownership. Physical property could imply various tangible items not linked directly to work output, contractor agreements pertain to terms with independent contractors rather than employees, and training materials can be owned by either party depending on the agreements in place or the context of their creation. The foundation of "work made for hire" therein lies in its clear stipulation of ownership rights, making it the most directly applicable answer in this scenario.