SLTA...
OK...
So, about 5 years ago, I am sitting at my computer working away. A message pops up on my screen from the Provincial Authority Having Jurisdiction (The "Regulator"):
"This email is to advise that your facility design (xxxx-xxxx) has been approved for construction."
I think, "That's odd. I haven't designed anything in that Province for the past 3 years."
So, I email the Regulator. "What facility? What design? What Client / Operating Company? Is there any contact information you can give me?"
Some accurate paraphrasing of telephone conversations ensues below.
[Regulator] "Do you forget what you have designed and for who?"
[SNORGY] "Well, I certainly don't remember this one. What is it and who is it for?"
[Regulator] "Is your name not {SNORGY} and is your Professional Membership Registration number not (xxxxx)?"
[SNORGY] "Yes, and yes."
[Regulator] "Then we have the right person and your facility has been approved for construction."
[SNORGY] "What facility? For who? Who is the Client Company and who can I speak to there?"
[Regulator] "{yyyyyy} is the Client Company. The design by (Engineering Contractor zzzz} has your name, number and seal as the Engineer Of Record, and it has been approved for construction."
[SNORGY] "I don't work for, nor have I ever worked for, {Engineering Contractor zzzz}. There is an obvious error here. Please remove my name as the EOR."
[Regulator] "We cannot do that. It is in the computer database. Once it gets into the computer database, we can't change it."
[SNORGY] "I don't give a rat's ----. Remove my name as EOR even if you have to blow up your server to do it."
[Regulator] "We suggest you speak to someone at {yyyyyy}. We cannot alter the computer database records."
[SNORGY] "I will do that now."
**click***
[SNORGY] "Yes. I would like to speak with {contact person at yyyyyy}."
[{yyyyyy}] "Good job, thank you for your efforts. Construction starts next week."
[SNORGY] "Well, have fun with that, but I didn't design anything for you. Ever."
[{yyyyyy} "Sure you did. I have your Seal and Professional Membership Number on the cover page of the application right here on behalf of {Engineering Contractor zzzz}."
[SNORGY] "Well, I'll tell you the same thing I told {Regulator}. I don't work for {zzzz} and I don't know a thing about this facility application."
[{yyyyyy}] "Really? Then why did you stamp and submit it?"
{SNORGY] "OK, never mind, I will take this up with the Professional Association in the Province of {
**click**
[SNORGY] "Hello. Yes, I need to immediately have my name removed as the EOR for the project for {yyyyyy} designed by {zzzz} that was recently registered by {Regulator} in the Province of {
[Association] "Why?"
[SNORGY] "There has been a mistake. I did not do the design, I did not submit the application, I have never done any work for {yyyyyy} and I am not, nor have I ever been, employed by {zzzz}."
[Association] "So how did {Regulator} approve the application?"
[SNORGY] "Apparently nobody knows, other than it has been entered into the computer database where it is impossible to change the data entered therein."
[Association] "Oh. That sounds like a bad situation. We cannot do anything to help you, but we sincerely hope that you can resolve it shortly."
[SNORGY] "Perhaps then I can ask you to immediately cancel my membership as a Professional Engineer within the Professional Association in the Province of {
so that construction cannot proceed."
[Association} "You have paid your membership dues and are in good standing. Your membership will automatically lapse if you elect not to renew approximately 7 months from now."
[SNORGY] "Listen. Cancel my membership. Now."
[Association] "No need for that. We understand your frustration. We recommend you seek legal counsel. Here is a number for a good law firm. The first half hour is free."
[SNORGY] "I will call them now."
**click**
[SNORGY] "Hello. This is my situation."
{Law Firm] "That is indeed cause for legal action. You should find out how this happened. We would be happy to help once you do. Thank you for the call."
[SNORGY} "I will do that. I will advise invoicing instructions shortly."
**click**
So, SNORGY does some digging internally within SNORGY's employer's offices. As it turns out, one of the "Project Engineers" (who is not an engineer, has not finished a diploma as a technologist, and who is working on obtaining certification in the field of Criminology - thank goodness not pursuing an MBA - and yet, who is nonetheless placed in charge of professional engineers in this workplace) instructed the Regulatory personnel to take SNORGY's registration information and copy of the electronic file of SNORGY's Professional Engineering stamp, open up an account using SNORGY's identification with the automated computer database system at {Regulator}, and submit the application in SNORGY's name on behalf of {zzzz}, for whom SNORGY has never worked. Somewhat irritated by this development, SNORGY calls an immediate internal meeting with his employer's senior management, the supervisor of the "Project Engineer" involved, the head of the employer's Regulatory personnel, and, of course, the "Project Engineer". What follows is an accurate paraphrasing of the conversation in the meeting room.
[SNORGY] "All right, listen up you ------- idiots. You might think that it's perfectly acceptable to do this, but let me explain what this constitutes, in my mind."
[Senior Management] "No need to be upset, you are making an unnecessarily big deal out of nothing here. Relax."
[SNORGY] "Are you clowns freaking kidding me? This is fraud, at my expense and at the expense of tarnishing my credibility as a Professional Engineer in the Province of {
[SNORGY] "I worked hard to obtain my accreditation as a Professional Engineer, and it's disturbing that you idiots trivialize what is mine and what it means."
[SNORGY] "This country has laws that deal with this kind of thing. I have engaged legal counsel and I will be holding every moron in this room accountable for this."
[SNORGY] "Unless you immediately fire "Project Engineer"."
[Senior Management] "We are not going to do that. What we will do is ask "Project Engineer" to apologize."
["Project Engineer"] "Heck no, I am not apologizing. I did what I had to do to get the job done."
[SNORGY] "You stole my identity and my professional credentials and have left me in a situation where I have to negotiate with the Regulator, the Association and the Government to remove me as EOR."
[SNORGY] "You should be fired. And, you are working towards certification in what field? Good luck with that."
[Senior Management] "SNORGY, you are making way too much out of this. It's nothing. Besides, we are definitely not going to fire "Project Engineer", apology or otherwise."
[SNORGY] "OK, I gotta ask, why the heck not?"
[Senior Management] "{"Project Engineer"} brings in revenue to the company."
**meeting adjourned**
So, now SNORGY knows where he stands. He types the following correspondence to {Regulator} and {Association}:
[SNORGY] "Per your instructions, I am working on resolving this issue myself. I have engaged the services of {Law Firm} who will be preparing paperwork for you in an upcoming legal action."
[SNORGY] "Please advise, to which one of you two Organizations shall I submit their first and all subsequent invoices?"
**fast forward two months**
SNORGY was able to convince {Regulator} and {Association} to figure out a way to edit the computer database records and remove SNORGY's name as EOR. SNORGY now works elsewhere. "Project Engineer" still works for {Past Employer}, because "Project Engineer" still brings in revenue.
And people wonder why I get frustrated with non-credentialed idiots running engineering companies and having dominion over engineers.
And, no, I didn't make any of this up.
