Side work

Doc13067 said:
How would you guys react to your full time apprentice advertising for small electrical jobs and taking on their own clients to do what you’ve been teaching them?
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Having been there as an apprentice and journeying out just to find out I didn’t know all that I thought I knew.

I would tell him it’s not fair to the customer for him to do electrical work and learn from mistakes on their dime without someone there guiding him.

And a few dollars on the side is not worth losing your livelihood to lawsuits.

I’m not saying I don’t believe people should do side work. That’s each and every single individuals business. But doing it at that level of your career just isn’t worth it.

As a licensed master electrician I stick to helping family and friends and exchanging electrical work for other favors and work they can do for me. Side work is not worth the hastle and headache in the long run to me.
 
Isn't it illegal without the license?
Here an apprentice doing electrical side work is akin to handyman work. Unlicensed and uninspectable.
 
Doc13067 said:
How would you guys react to your full time apprentice advertising for small electrical jobs and taking on their own clients to do what you’ve been teaching them?
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Not every state regulates this type of work so is this apprentice breaking any laws? Do you have a signed agreement that he cannot perform side work that may compete with your business?
 
I did this myself for family and closer friends at times, even got tools and materials from my boss for some of it.

One my apprentices later on did same and also used tools/materials from me sometimes.

Advertising so he could take on pretty much anybody that called him - he would be on his own.
 
infinity said:
Not every state regulates this type of work so is this apprentice breaking any laws?
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Every state has accident attorneys.

In 2006 I tried recruiting a solar EC into my local IBEW, but that EC complained side workers using his ladders without permission got him sued by an accident attorney.

Apparently laborers that don’t speak the local language are less likely to get caught doing side work?
 
ramsy said:
Every state has accident attorneys.

In 2006 I tried recruiting a solar EC into my local IBEW, but that EC complained side workers using his ladders without permission got him sued by an accident attorney.

Apparently laborers that don’t speak the local language are less likely to get caught doing side work?
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Not really germane to the questions raised by the OP is it?
 
Warning him to stop then turn him in to the board. Seems he also has no respect for the man who taught him. Maybe start looking for new help.
Have not gone through this, but it is not right.
 
He could, wrongfully, represent himself as part of the Master, or Journeyman, business, so he could be more recognized. I would not want him doing that, or any side work that should be the Master's, or Journeyman's, work. He needs to work through and go on his own if he chooses and not advertise until he is licensed and insured.
 
infinity said:
Not every state regulates this type of work so is this apprentice breaking any laws? Do you have a signed agreement that he cannot perform side work that may compete with your business?
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I do not have a signed agreement. I’ve been a one-man show for the most part with temporary helpers here and there, so I’m still figuring this whole thing out.
 
Little Bill said:
He could, wrongfully, represent himself as part of the Master, or Journeyman, business, so he could be more recognized. I would not want him doing that, or any side work that should be the Master's, or Journeyman's, work. He needs to work through and go on his own if he chooses and not advertise until he is licensed and insured.
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He could also show up wearing one of my shirts to give false confidence to a customer that he’s part of a company. Not saying I think he would do that, but who knows
 
infinity said:
Not every state regulates this type of work so is this apprentice breaking any laws? Do you have a signed agreement that he cannot perform side work that may compete with your business?
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IMHO Your above suggestion in post #5 is brilliant, perhaps coming from the voice of experience.

My follow-up observation in post #7 supports your point, employers need indemnity when tools & material are used without permission, even if state laws, like material theft, or unlicensed advertising, make it illegal or not.
Doc13067 said:
I do not have a signed agreement. I’ve been a one-man show for the most part with temporary helpers here and there, so I’m still figuring this whole thing out.
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To clarify my point in post #7, maybe the accident attorney screwed that electrical contractor for aiding & abetting, since the shop, vehicles, ladders, & material was not locked up after business hours, and their was no written proof of firing such offenders, or separating the business from such activity.
 
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The union encouraged us to do side jobs 1st year. "You'll learn faster if you do a bunch of service upgrades in your off time" is a quote that's stuck with me.

That said, bad advice, it takes several years to get to the point I'd trust most people to run solo. Hence apprenticeship. As said, simple device swaps are fine, generally if a handyman could do it an apprentice could at least do it better.

As to having an employee do it: if your core business is different from his side work, NBD. If his side work is directly competing with your business, GTFO. Especially as an apprentice.
 
I work with a guy call him mr side work that did tons of side work, even helped him a few times.
About 5 years ago there was a fire at one of the houses he worked on, it was a relative of his but this guy says everyone was his cousin, it spread to the house next door (row houses) somehow during the fire investigation he got identified as having replaced a sub panel on the 3rd floor and some ceiling lights, and thats where the fire was so mr side work was brought into litigation, He had no insurance no bond and his cousin's insurance promptly paid out then went after him. He is still dealing with the legal headache its going to cost him around 76k. So I'd tell my apprentice that story but he already knows it.
 
NoahsArc said:
The union encouraged us to do side jobs 1st year. "You'll learn faster if you do a bunch of service upgrades in your off time" is a quote that's stuck with me.

That said, bad advice, it takes several years to get to the point I'd trust most people to run solo. Hence apprenticeship. As said, simple device swaps are fine, generally if a handyman could do it an apprentice could at least do it better.

As to having an employee do it: if your core business is different from his side work, NBD. If his side work is directly competing with your business, GTFO. Especially as an apprentice.
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The union encouraged this or some people you happened to work with?

Side jobs at residential sites maybe wasn't really competing with your company and they were ok with that?

I don't see a union in general supporting this kind of thing, state or local laws aside it still kind of goes against what I would expect for union rules.
 
If I had an apprentice advertising for side work, he wouldn't be my apprentice for long. If he was doing a friend/ family/ neighbor thing even getting paid, I'd be fine with it. Granted he'd be doing so illegally, without insurance.

If I had a licensed electrician working for me and advertising for side work, he wouldn't be my electrician for very long either. Especially since I generally offer "unlimited" overtime. Again, some side jobs would be fine for me, but advertising means he's my competition, or is short lived. I've had licensed guys leave me and start their own company on good terms.

The advertising is the deal breaker for me.....
 
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