QUESTION
I need to know if I am in a conflict of interest with the company I currently work for.
Asked on Mar 14th, 2018 on Business Law - Texas
More details to this question:
I have a certification (not provided by my current employer) which allows me to train and certify individuals to perform inspections, on pipeline, aviation, etc. I currently work for a company that provides inspection services to the pipeline industry and my job is to provide in-house training for the employees. I recently started my own company in which I provide consulting and training services for other inspection companies, both pipeline and aviation. The company I work for says I can't do that because I am training their competition. The company I work for, isn't in the training business, they are in the inspection business. I, however, do not do inspections, so I am not stealing their customers. My personal company only provides training. Would this still be considered a conflict of interest even though I am not providing the same type of service?
1 ANSWER
Since part of your job is to train people for your employer, I think it could be a conflict of interest, but it really doesn't matter what I think or what you think. Absent a contract which limits your employuer's right to fire you (for example, one which says you can be fired only for cause), you can be fired for any reason other than those prohibited by statute (e.g. race, religion, gender, etc.) Assuming that you have no such contract, your employer can certainly fire you for doing something like this, even if you believe, or even if an objective third party would believe, that it is ok.
Answered on Mar 15th, 2018 at 3:29 PM