Confidentiality of Client and Employer Information
Hold client/employer information confidential
Engineers shall not disclose confidential information concerning the business affairs or technical processes of a client or employer without consent, except as required by law or to prevent harm to the public. Confidentiality survives project close-out and a change of employer.
Duty
Nondisclosure of confidential information
Exception
Law or imminent public harm
Consent
Written client/employer authorization
Step-by-step solved example
After leaving Firm A, a PE is asked by Firm B to reuse unreleased process data from A's client. Allowed?
1. Whose data
The process data remain confidential to A's client.
2. Rule
Do not use or disclose without the client's consent. Decline, or proceed only with written authorization.
Answer: No, unless the original client consents in writing.
10 practice questions
0/10 correct
1.Client information is confidential
2.You may disclose confidential data when
3.Using Client A's unreleased data for Client B is
4.After leaving a firm, former client secrets
5.Confidentiality yields to
6.A client's unpublished unit costs learned at work
7.Photos of a confidential plant process on LinkedIn