Side practice and use of seals
Side practice and use of seals
(OP)
Work for a large company and am licensed in over 40 states. Company pays for my licensing.
Also maintain a small rather profitable side practice that in NO WAY competes with my day job.
A customer has asked that I seal a drawing that would require I use one of those out of state seals. Is that ethical??
I would happily get another seal in that state - but they would think I was crazy and it might raise some weird questions.
I think I know the answer - just asking for some other people's thoughts.
Thanks
Also maintain a small rather profitable side practice that in NO WAY competes with my day job.
A customer has asked that I seal a drawing that would require I use one of those out of state seals. Is that ethical??
I would happily get another seal in that state - but they would think I was crazy and it might raise some weird questions.
I think I know the answer - just asking for some other people's thoughts.
Thanks





RE: Side practice and use of seals
I did have the circumstance though where a client wanted me to obtain the seals of several other states for their projects, knowing that I was in business for myself, and they paid for the yearly licenses. I had no problem, and neither did they, with me using those same seals for my other clients.
Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
RE: Side practice and use of seals
How about the technical seminars your company pays for you to attend. Are you obligated to use the knowledge you gain only for the employer who paid for it?
Your engineering license was issued to you in your name, and you have the right to use it any way you want so long as it meets the requirements of the state board.
RE: Side practice and use of seals
Before reading PhilBW's post I was thinking "if the company paid for it they own it, period". After reading his post I'm thinking "if you screw up on a company job and the legal system gets involved, is the company going to accompany you to jail?" No they aren't.
I would say that paying for the seals comes under the same category as their paying for a travel meal--they really don't own any tangible material that results from the meal.
David
RE: Side practice and use of seals
RE: Side practice and use of seals
As long as your employment agreement allows the side buisness, I don't see an ethical issue.
--Mike--
RE: Side practice and use of seals
The moonlighting is a different issue, but the physical seal shouldn't matter.
RE: Side practice and use of seals
Don Phillips
http://worthingtonengineering.com
RE: Side practice and use of seals
If you use a license paid for by the company, the company might perceive that they incur liability for you actions outside the company's work. For this you might want to indemnify them for your outside work.
RE: Side practice and use of seals
Don Phillips
http://worthingtonengineering.com
RE: Side practice and use of seals
As this is the forum on Professional Ethics, I just feel that, although the subject area may be gray to some here, personally, and professionally I don't want to go there...at all.
Mike McCann
MMC Engineering