Questions for Prospective Employer 1

[weh3]

What would be good and appropriate and intelligent questions to ask a prospective employer regarding their professional liability position?

Company is an A/E (not a professional corporation). The job is Electrical Engineering Department Manager and requires a PE.

I am thinking along the lines of finding out about whether they have had any claims against E&O, etc.

 

[RCEJD]

A professional corporation offers you no personal protection if you put your license on the plans ... you will be held personally responsible.

Are you the only one signing ? I would not be offended if asked ...

Remember companies get names in suits all the time, and settle out for defense money ... which is typical tactic used by lawyers and insurance companies to spread the exposure ... This is part of business.

Good luck

 

[TrafficDesigner]

I would ask them if they have had any claims filed and I would check locally to see they answered you truthfully. If you are expected to use your seal and be in charge, you should find these things out before you take the job.

It wouldn't be a very good feeling to find out in your second or third week there they have or have had claims filed against them.

What's the company reputation like? That too could be helpful to you.

 

[mrMikee]

I once asked my boss what the company position was concerning law suits against the company and me as a PE, and his answer was that I would be included in the "corporate veil." In my opinion that was not a good answer. The issue came to my attention when they announced they were going to self insure their Board of Directors because of the cost of liability insurance. I thought there should have been a stated policy regarding engineers and PEs.

Regards,
-Mike

 

[JAE]

If you are working for a corporation, you are indeed protected from a lawsuit in that all of the firm's contracts are between the client and the corporation, not the individuals.

So if a claim is filed against you, it is a simple matter of showing that the claim has no standing in that there was never a contractual relationship bewteen plaintiff and defendent - the suit would be forced to be directed to the corporation.

This "simpe matter" may involve some lawyer fees, but most usually the plaintiff's lawyer will or should know that it would be fruitless to pursue a person under the "corporate veil".