Master working with master?

[dSilanskas]

Question if I was to go for my master license would I still be able to work for my boss? He has his master license as well

[mdshunk]

Question if I was to go for my master license would I still be able to work for my boss? He has his master license as well
You sure could, but some who are going to remain employees prefer not to go that extra step for professional liability reasons.

[480sparky]

You sure could, but some who are going to remain employees prefer not to go that extra step for professional liability reasons.

Why would an empoyee with a Masters' be liable? The boss is the one in business... signing the contracts, buying the insurance, pulling the permits....

[mdshunk]

Why would an empoyee with a Masters' be liable? The boss is the one in business... signing the contracts, buying the insurance, pulling the permits....
When it comes to professional liability, I know that lawyers will name anyone in a suit who have credentials that show they should have known better. You may be interested to know that there is insurance available to an employee who's worried about this, and it's pretty cheap. Along the lines of nurse's malpractice insurance, who are also employees generally.

[dSilanskas]

Well thank you for your input. I just want to get my masters ya know :-)

[480sparky]

When it comes to professional liability, I know that lawyers will name anyone in a suit who have credentials that show they should have known better. You may be interested to know that there is insurance available to an employee who's worried about this, and it's pretty cheap. Along the lines of nurse's malpractice insurance, who are also employees generally.

A lawyer who's looking for deep pocket won't care whether you're a JW or Masters.

[JohnJ0906]

You sure could, but some who are going to remain employees prefer not to go that extra step for professional liability reasons.

I keep mine on "Inactive" status, since I am an employee, working under his master's licence.

I ought to check on that liability thing.

We have an "Active" master who is also an employee. I wonder if that would affect anything?

[Pierre C Belarge]

Well thank you for your input. I just want to get my masters ya know :-)


My advice:
If you are able and capable to get your license, go for it. You really never know what is around the corner, our futures are always an unknown. It does not get easier as you get older.
In our area, one can "shelve" the license. I would look at that possibility.

[brantmacga]

i continued working for my employer about 6/mo. after I got my EC license. It wasn't an issue. If you think you should have insurance, it is cheap. $1M liability costs me just under $500 a year.

[electricmanscott]

Well thank you for your input. I just want to get my masters ya know :-)


And you should. There is nothing to worry about regarding lawyers and such or legality of working for another master. In fact, the only way a master can be employed in MA, other than self employed, is to work for another master.
To me you would also be more valued in that the extra schooling required would make you more knowledgeable.

As pointed out if something were to happen it wouldn't matter if you had a masters, journeyman or painters license, the weasles, I mean lawyers, are throwing out the dragnet.

Down in Rhode Island were that nightclub fire was, everyone, and their mother is named in the lawsuits. Home Dpot for selling the faom that was used inappropriately, beer companies who's products were sold at the venue, and on and on the list goes. It is ridiculous. In my eyes it takes away some of the sympathy I might have for the victims, and that is a shame because it is not their doing it is the lawyers.

[j_erickson]

There is absolutely no drawback in getting your master's and many benefits. Get it.

[mgd]

"when last we met, I was but the learner, now I am the master" :D

[satcom]

i continued working for my employer about 6/mo. after I got my EC license. It wasn't an issue. If you think you should have insurance, it is cheap. $1M liability costs me just under $500 a year.


For $500 that must be some insurance coverage, does that cover high voltage, and underground work, errors and omissions, completed operations, usually the $500 policies are wiring within building policies that covers next to nothing. When i started out I got when of those $500 policies and then discovered i had no real coverages, the policy i needed cost $3500 and it was a min contractors libality policy, not a wiring within buildings policy.
Then if he intends to work for some commercial accounts, he will need workers comp policy, which will vary from state to state and annual income adustments.

[iwire]

There is absolutely no drawback in getting your master's and many benefits. Get it.

I work and live in MA and have no interest in getting my Masters.

It will not raise my pay, my employer has no interest in me having a Masters.

To each their own, if you want it go for it. 8-)

But if you don't want to go on your own you don't need a masters to earn a good living.

[iwire]

When i started out I got when of those $500 policies and then discovered i had no real coverages,

$500 will provide the minimum required liability insurance needed for pulling an electrical permit here in MA.

What that actually covers is usually not part of the conversation. :wink:

[ptonsparky]

I worked for my masters or Electrical Contractors, just because I wanted it, for me. Within three months things changed & I ended up self employed. Still open to debate if that was good or bad.

[wbalsam1]

When it comes to professional liability, I know that lawyers will name anyone in a suit who have credentials that show they should have known better........

With the addition to Definitions in 2002 the term "Qualified" and the addition of the FPN to "Qualified" in '05, lawyers are certainly better served in their search for deep pockets, since this definition is enforceable.:smile:

[dezwitinc]

"A master electrician may work either as an individual, a firm, or a corporation. A master electrician must maintain a regular place of business where the current license is displayed. The master electrician may employ journeymen and apprentices."
This is from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Office of Consumer Affairs & Business Regulation website.
I don't know for sure but is it legal for a master to employ a master in Mass?

[iwire]

I don't know for sure but is it legal for a master to employ a master in Mass?

If you want to work with the tools in the field you have to maintain a journeymen license.

So for guy like me who never plans on opening their own shop a masters would only be an added cost.

[brantmacga]

For $500 that must be some insurance coverage, does that cover high voltage, and underground work, errors and omissions, completed operations, usually the $500 policies are wiring within building policies that covers next to nothing. When i started out I got when of those $500 policies and then discovered i had no real coverages, the policy i needed cost $3500 and it was a min contractors libality policy, not a wiring within buildings policy.
Then if he intends to work for some commercial accounts, he will need workers comp policy, which will vary from state to state and annual income adustments.


well thanks for the heads up i'll have to look more into what it covers. my agent only does insurance for business and contractors, and he said this covers everything i'm required to have. maybe its like that minimum car insurance?? anyway, my certificate says $1M for each occurance, $50k for damage to premises (ea. occurance), $5k medical, $1M for personal injury, $2M general aggregate, $2M for products, comp/op agg (not sure what all that is). workers comp is separate from this. it runs around %10 of payroll. this is a commercial gen. liability policy and what's required to do commercial in GA. what coverage do you have??