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Overview
Facts Discussion
Provenance Draft

PASS 1: Contextual Framework Facts Section

Case 146: Disclosure of Personal Information

R Roles
2
Classes
2
Individuals
S States
3
Classes
3
Individuals
Rs Resources
1
Classes
1
Individuals

Extracted Ontology Entities

12 RDF entities extracted organized by concept type

R Roles

Roles Classes
2
Employer
rdfs:subClassOf Roles
Linked
Employer Role
C146
Definition
Extracted from facts primary
The participant role borne by the organization that employs a professional engineer. In this case the employer is the party from which Engineer A has withheld the fact of his autism and whose possible biases or concerns bear on his disclosure decision.
Inherited from EmployerRole · note
The role borne by the employing organization as a participant in the case. The duty relationship is carried separately by :EmployerRelationshipRole. No IFC equivalent.
Properties
Text References:
"Engineer A has kept this fact not only from his current employer (which he has worked for 5 years) but also previous employers."
"disclosure could limit his career options if his employer and potential future employers have biases or concerns about client interactions"
Confidence: 0.9
Role Kind: participant
Distinguishing Features: Employs the professional engineer and is the party toward which the disclosure question runs
[facts] "Engineer A has kept this fact not only from his current employer (which he has worked for 5 years) but also previous employers."
Field classification (triples vs literals)
Literal extractions (kept for synthesis)
  • textReferences content: Engineer A has kept this fact not only from his current employer (which he has worked for 5 years) but also previous employers.; disclosure could limit his career options if his employer and potential future employers have biases or concerns about client interactions
  • roleKind content: participant
  • distinguishingFeatures content: Employs the professional engineer and is the party toward which the disclosure question runs
  • confidence assessment: 0.9
changed
Engineer
rdfs:subClassOf Roles
Linked
Engineer Role
C146
Definition
Extracted from facts primary
A professional engineering role governed by the NSPE Code of Ethics, bearing the obligation to avoid deceptive acts in professional practice, including in obtaining employment.
Inherited from EngineerRole · note
A professional role involving engineering practice and responsibilities. Occupational archetype head for all engineer specializations and extracted engineer-role leaves.
Properties
Text References:
"Engineer A, a professional engineer licensed in four states, specializes in air pollution control and air emissions permitting and has practiced professional engineering successfully for 25 years for ..."
"Engineer A considered the language in the NSPE Code of Ethics, which requires engineers to "avoid deceptive acts.""
Confidence: 0.95
Role Category: employer_relationship
Role Kind: professional
Distinguishing Features:
  • Practices professional engineering under the NSPE Code of Ethics
  • Bears the code duty to avoid deceptive acts, including in representations made to employers when obtaining employment
Professional Scope: Professional engineering practice within the licensed discipline, including services performed for employers and clients
Typical Qualifications: Professional Engineer license
Associated Virtues:
  • Honesty
  • Integrity
[facts] "Engineer A, a professional engineer licensed in four states, specializes in air pollution control and air emissions permitting and has practiced professional engineering successfully for 25 years for ..."
Field classification (triples vs literals)
Literal extractions (kept for synthesis)
  • textReferences content: Engineer A, a professional engineer licensed in four states, specializes in air pollution control and air emissions permitting and has practiced professional engineering successfully for 25 years for multiple employers.; Engineer A considered the language in the NSPE Code of Ethics, which requires engineers to "avoid deceptive acts."
  • roleCategory content: employer_relationship
  • roleKind content: professional
  • distinguishingFeatures content: Practices professional engineering under the NSPE Code of Ethics; Bears the code duty to avoid deceptive acts, including in representations made to employers when obtaining employment
  • professionalScope content: Professional engineering practice within the licensed discipline, including services performed for employers and clients
  • typicalQualifications content: Professional Engineer license
  • associatedVirtues content: Honesty; Integrity
  • confidence assessment: 0.95
Roles Individuals
2
Linked
Engineer Role
C146
Text References:
"Engineer A, a professional engineer licensed in four states, specializes in air pollution control and air emissions permitting and has practiced professional engineering successfully for 25 years for ..."
"Engineer A would like to be open about his autism, but because Engineer A obtained his employment without disclosing his autism, Engineer A is concerned that doing so might place his career in jeopard..."
"Engineer A has autism and, more specifically, Asperger’s Syndrome."
"Engineer A has kept this fact not only from his current employer (which he has worked for 5 years) but also previous employers."
Confidence: 0.95
Actor: Engineer A
Role Class: Engineer
Role Category: employer_relationship
Role Kind: professional
License: Professional engineer licensed in four states
Specialty: Air pollution control and air emissions permitting
Experience Level: 25 years of successful professional engineering practice for multiple employers
Employer: Current employer (unnamed), employed for 5 years
Technical Background: Air pollution control and air emissions permitting
Case Involvement: Licensed professional engineer with 25 years of practice who has autism (Asperger's Syndrome), kept this from current and previous employers, attended an autism support conference on self-advocacy, and is weighing whether disclosing his autism is required to avoid deceptive acts under the NSPE Code of Ethics, given his concern that disclosure might place his career in jeopardy.
Personal condition: Autism, specifically Asperger's Syndrome, not disclosed to current or previous employers
Code provision considered: NSPE Code of Ethics language requiring engineers to avoid deceptive acts
Employedby: Current Employer
"Engineer A has kept this fact not only from his current employer (which he has worked for 5 years) but also previous employers."
[facts] "Engineer A, a professional engineer licensed in four states, specializes in air pollution control and air emissions permitting and has practiced professional engineering successfully for 25 years for ..."
Field classification (triples vs literals)
Relations (structural triples)
  • actor: Engineer A
  • attributes: {'personal_condition': "Autism, specifically Asperger's Syndrome, not disclosed to current or previous employers", 'code_provision_considered': 'NSPE Code of Ethics language requiring engineers to avoid deceptive acts'}
  • relationships: {'type': 'employedBy', 'target': 'Current Employer', 'quote': 'Engineer A has kept this fact not only from his current employer (which he has worked for 5 years) but also previous employers.'}
Literal extractions (kept for synthesis)
  • textReferences content: Engineer A, a professional engineer licensed in four states, specializes in air pollution control and air emissions permitting and has practiced professional engineering successfully for 25 years for multiple employers.; Engineer A would like to be open about his autism, but because Engineer A obtained his employment without disclosing his autism, Engineer A is concerned that doing so might place his career in jeopardy.; Engineer A has autism and, more specifically, Asperger’s Syndrome.; Engineer A has kept this fact not only from his current employer (which he has worked for 5 years) but also previous employers.
  • roleClass content: Engineer
  • roleCategory content: employer_relationship
  • roleKind content: professional
  • license content: Professional engineer licensed in four states
  • specialty content: Air pollution control and air emissions permitting
  • experienceLevel content: 25 years of successful professional engineering practice for multiple employers
  • employer content: Current employer (unnamed), employed for 5 years
  • technicalBackground content: Air pollution control and air emissions permitting
  • caseInvolvement content: Licensed professional engineer with 25 years of practice who has autism (Asperger's Syndrome), kept this from current and previous employers, attended an autism support conference on self-advocacy, and is weighing whether disclosing his autism is required to avoid deceptive acts under the NSPE Code of Ethics, given his concern that disclosure might place his career in jeopardy.
  • confidence assessment: 0.95
Linked
Employer Role
C146
Text References:
"Engineer A has kept this fact not only from his current employer (which he has worked for 5 years) but also previous employers."
"disclosure could limit his career options if his employer and potential future employers have biases or concerns about client interactions"
Confidence: 0.85
Actor: Current Employer
Role Class: Employer
Role Kind: participant
Additional Relationships: {'type': 'employs', 'target': 'Engineer A', 'quote': 'his current employer (which he has worked for 5 years)'}
Case Involvement: The organization that has employed Engineer A for 5 years, from which Engineer A has withheld the fact of his autism, and whose possible biases or concerns about client interactions Engineer A fears could jeopardize or limit his career if he discloses.
Employment duration: Has employed Engineer A for 5 years
[facts] "Engineer A has kept this fact not only from his current employer (which he has worked for 5 years) but also previous employers."
Field classification (triples vs literals)
Relations (structural triples)
  • actor: Current Employer
  • attributes: {'employment_duration': 'Has employed Engineer A for 5 years'}
Literal extractions (kept for synthesis)
  • textReferences content: Engineer A has kept this fact not only from his current employer (which he has worked for 5 years) but also previous employers.; disclosure could limit his career options if his employer and potential future employers have biases or concerns about client interactions
  • roleClass content: Employer
  • roleKind content: participant
  • additionalRelationships content: {'type': 'employs', 'target': 'Engineer A', 'quote': 'his current employer (which he has worked for 5 years)'}
  • caseInvolvement content: The organization that has employed Engineer A for 5 years, from which Engineer A has withheld the fact of his autism, and whose possible biases or concerns about client interactions Engineer A fears could jeopardize or limit his career if he discloses.
  • confidence assessment: 0.85

S States

States Classes
3
changed
UndisclosedAssumptionState
rdfs:subClassOf States
New C146
Definition
Extracted from facts primary
A disclosure condition in which a professional has withheld a personal condition or diagnosis from an employer, so employment was obtained and is maintained without the employer knowing that fact. Here Engineer A has kept his autism from his current employer of 5 years and from previous employers, having obtained his employment without disclosing it.
Properties
Text References:
"Engineer A has kept this fact not only from his current employer (which he has worked for 5 years) but also previous employers."
"Engineer A obtained his employment without disclosing his autism"
Confidence: 0.9
State Category: disclosure
Persistence Type: inertial
Activation Conditions: Professional obtains or continues employment without disclosing a personal condition to the employer
Termination Conditions: Professional discloses the personal condition to the employer
Obligation Activation: Avoid Deceptive Acts Obligation
Principle Transformation: The honesty value behind the NSPE Code language requiring engineers to avoid deceptive acts, which Engineer A himself considered, bears on whether his continued nondisclosure of his autism to employers is consistent with that provision.
[facts] "Engineer A has autism and, more specifically, Asperger's Syndrome. Engineer A has kept this fact not only from his current employer (which he has worked for 5 years) but also previous employers."
Field classification (triples vs literals)
Literal extractions (kept for synthesis)
  • textReferences content: Engineer A has kept this fact not only from his current employer (which he has worked for 5 years) but also previous employers.; Engineer A obtained his employment without disclosing his autism
  • stateCategory content: disclosure
  • persistenceType content: inertial
  • principleTransformation content: The honesty value behind the NSPE Code language requiring engineers to avoid deceptive acts, which Engineer A himself considered, bears on whether his continued nondisclosure of his autism to employers is consistent with that provision.
  • confidence assessment: 0.9
Derived (reconstructable from the graph)
  • activationConditions: Professional obtains or continues employment without disclosing a personal condition to the employer
  • terminationConditions: Professional discloses the personal condition to the employer
  • obligationActivation: Avoid Deceptive Acts Obligation
changed
CareerJeopardyRiskState
rdfs:subClassOf States
Review
Employment Jeopardy State
C146
Definition
Extracted from facts primary
A risk condition in which a professional's contemplated disclosure of information previously withheld when employment was obtained exposes the professional's career and future employment options to potential harm from employer bias or concern. Here Engineer A is concerned that being open about his autism might place his career in jeopardy and could at the least limit his career options if his employer and potential future employers have biases or concerns about client interactions.
Inherited from EmploymentJeopardyState · note
A condition of exposure in which a professional's refusal to comply with an employer's instruction, undertaken to satisfy a code mandate, may cause a most difficult situation or even lead to the loss of employment, placing the professional's livelihood at risk as a consequence of adhering to professional duty.
Properties
Text References:
"Engineer A is concerned that doing so might place his career in jeopardy"
"At the least, disclosure could limit his career options if his employer and potential future employers have biases or concerns about client interactions."
Confidence: 0.85
State Category: risk
Persistence Type: inertial
Activation Conditions: Professional contemplates disclosing information that was withheld when employment was obtained
Termination Conditions: Employer and prospective employers respond without adverse action, or the disclosure question is otherwise resolved
Principle Transformation: The exposure of Engineer A's livelihood to bias-driven harm makes his choice whether to be open about his autism ethically weighty rather than a neutral personal preference.
[facts] "Engineer A would like to be open about his autism, but because Engineer A obtained his employment without disclosing his autism, Engineer A is concerned that doing so might place his career in jeopard..."
Field classification (triples vs literals)
Literal extractions (kept for synthesis)
  • textReferences content: Engineer A is concerned that doing so might place his career in jeopardy; At the least, disclosure could limit his career options if his employer and potential future employers have biases or concerns about client interactions.
  • stateCategory content: risk
  • persistenceType content: inertial
  • principleTransformation content: The exposure of Engineer A's livelihood to bias-driven harm makes his choice whether to be open about his autism ethically weighty rather than a neutral personal preference.
  • confidence assessment: 0.85
Derived (reconstructable from the graph)
  • activationConditions: Professional contemplates disclosing information that was withheld when employment was obtained
  • terminationConditions: Employer and prospective employers respond without adverse action, or the disclosure question is otherwise resolved
changed
CodeApplicabilityState
rdfs:subClassOf States
Linked
Code Applicability State
C146
Definition
Extracted from facts primary
A condition in which a professional code of ethics is in force for a party's conduct. Here the NSPE Code of Ethics, including its language requiring engineers to avoid deceptive acts, applies to Engineer A, a professional engineer licensed in four states who considered that language in weighing whether his nondisclosure was deceptive.
Inherited from CodeApplicabilityState · note
A condition in which a professional code of ethics is in force for a party's conduct. Here the NSPE Code of Ethics applies to Engineer A's conduct because Engineer A is an NSPE International Member providing consulting, engineering, and construction contracting services, even though he is a resident of and legally recognized in his home country.
Properties
Text References:
"Engineer A considered the language in the NSPE Code of Ethics, which requires engineers to "avoid deceptive acts.""
Confidence: 0.82
State Category: regulatory
Persistence Type: inertial
Activation Conditions: Engineer practices as a licensed professional engineer subject to the NSPE Code of Ethics
Termination Conditions: Engineer ceases to be subject to the code
Obligation Activation: Avoid Deceptive Acts Obligation
Principle Transformation: The code provision in force turns the abstract value of honesty into the concrete requirement that Engineer A avoid deceptive acts, which is why he weighs it against his nondisclosure.
[facts] "After considerable thought, Engineer A considered the language in the NSPE Code of Ethics, which requires engineers to "avoid deceptive acts.""
Field classification (triples vs literals)
Literal extractions (kept for synthesis)
  • textReferences content: Engineer A considered the language in the NSPE Code of Ethics, which requires engineers to "avoid deceptive acts."
  • stateCategory content: regulatory
  • persistenceType content: inertial
  • principleTransformation content: The code provision in force turns the abstract value of honesty into the concrete requirement that Engineer A avoid deceptive acts, which is why he weighs it against his nondisclosure.
  • confidence assessment: 0.82
Derived (reconstructable from the graph)
  • activationConditions: Engineer practices as a licensed professional engineer subject to the NSPE Code of Ethics
  • terminationConditions: Engineer ceases to be subject to the code
  • obligationActivation: Avoid Deceptive Acts Obligation
States Individuals
3
changed
Autism Nondisclosure To Employers
UndisclosedAssumptionState
New C146
Text References:
"Engineer A has kept this fact not only from his current employer (which he has worked for 5 years) but also previous employers."
"Engineer A obtained his employment without disclosing his autism"
Confidence: 0.92
State Class: Undisclosed Personal Condition State
Subject: Engineer A, who has kept his autism, specifically Asperger's Syndrome, from his current and previous employers
Active Period: From when Engineer A obtained his employment without disclosing his autism through the present, including his 5 years with the current employer
Triggering Event: Engineer A obtained his employment without disclosing his autism to the employer
Terminated By: Engineer A discloses his autism to his employer, being open about who he is as the self-advocacy speaker encouraged
Affected Parties:
  • Engineer A
  • Current employer
  • Previous employers
Urgency Level: medium
[facts] "Engineer A has autism and, more specifically, Asperger's Syndrome. Engineer A has kept this fact not only from his current employer (which he has worked for 5 years) but also previous employers."
Field classification (triples vs literals)
Literal extractions (kept for synthesis)
  • textReferences content: Engineer A has kept this fact not only from his current employer (which he has worked for 5 years) but also previous employers.; Engineer A obtained his employment without disclosing his autism
  • stateClass content: Undisclosed Personal Condition State
  • subject content: Engineer A, who has kept his autism, specifically Asperger's Syndrome, from his current and previous employers
  • activePeriod content: From when Engineer A obtained his employment without disclosing his autism through the present, including his 5 years with the current employer
  • triggeringEvent content: Engineer A obtained his employment without disclosing his autism to the employer
  • terminatedBy content: Engineer A discloses his autism to his employer, being open about who he is as the self-advocacy speaker encouraged
  • affectedParties content: Engineer A; Current employer; Previous employers
  • confidence assessment: 0.92
  • urgencyLevel assessment: medium
changed
Career Jeopardy From Disclosure
Employment Jeopardy State
Review
Employment Jeopardy State
C146
Text References:
"Engineer A is concerned that doing so might place his career in jeopardy"
"At the least, disclosure could limit his career options if his employer and potential future employers have biases or concerns about client interactions."
Confidence: 0.88
State Class: Career Jeopardy Risk State
Subject: Engineer A's career and future employment options, exposed to potential harm if he discloses his autism
Active Period: While Engineer A contemplates being open about his autism after having obtained employment without disclosing it
Triggering Event: Engineer A, after the self-advocacy presentation and considerable thought, contemplates being open about his autism despite having obtained his employment without disclosing it
Terminated By: Engineer A resolves the disclosure question, either by disclosing without adverse employer reaction or by otherwise settling how to proceed
Affected Parties: Engineer A
Urgency Level: medium
[facts] "Engineer A would like to be open about his autism, but because Engineer A obtained his employment without disclosing his autism, Engineer A is concerned that doing so might place his career in jeopard..."
Field classification (triples vs literals)
Literal extractions (kept for synthesis)
  • textReferences content: Engineer A is concerned that doing so might place his career in jeopardy; At the least, disclosure could limit his career options if his employer and potential future employers have biases or concerns about client interactions.
  • stateClass content: Career Jeopardy Risk State
  • subject content: Engineer A's career and future employment options, exposed to potential harm if he discloses his autism
  • activePeriod content: While Engineer A contemplates being open about his autism after having obtained employment without disclosing it
  • triggeringEvent content: Engineer A, after the self-advocacy presentation and considerable thought, contemplates being open about his autism despite having obtained his employment without disclosing it
  • terminatedBy content: Engineer A resolves the disclosure question, either by disclosing without adverse employer reaction or by otherwise settling how to proceed
  • affectedParties content: Engineer A
  • confidence assessment: 0.88
  • urgencyLevel assessment: medium
changed
NSPE Code In Force For Engineer A
Code Applicability State
Linked
Code Applicability State
C146
Text References:
"Engineer A considered the language in the NSPE Code of Ethics, which requires engineers to "avoid deceptive acts.""
Confidence: 0.8
State Class: Code Applicability State
Subject: Engineer A's professional conduct as a licensed professional engineer subject to the NSPE Code of Ethics
Active Period: Throughout Engineer A's 25 years of professional engineering practice and his current employment
Triggering Event: Engineer A practices as a professional engineer licensed in four states, subject to the NSPE Code of Ethics
Affected Parties: Engineer A
Urgency Level: low
[facts] "After considerable thought, Engineer A considered the language in the NSPE Code of Ethics, which requires engineers to "avoid deceptive acts.""
Field classification (triples vs literals)
Literal extractions (kept for synthesis)
  • textReferences content: Engineer A considered the language in the NSPE Code of Ethics, which requires engineers to "avoid deceptive acts."
  • stateClass content: Code Applicability State
  • subject content: Engineer A's professional conduct as a licensed professional engineer subject to the NSPE Code of Ethics
  • activePeriod content: Throughout Engineer A's 25 years of professional engineering practice and his current employment
  • triggeringEvent content: Engineer A practices as a professional engineer licensed in four states, subject to the NSPE Code of Ethics
  • affectedParties content: Engineer A
  • confidence assessment: 0.8
  • urgencyLevel assessment: low

Rs Resources

Resources Classes
1
changed
EthicalCode
rdfs:subClassOf Resources
Linked
Ethical Code
C146
Definition
Extracted from facts primary
A formal document that codifies ethical principles and professional conduct requirements for a profession, such as the NSPE Code of Ethics that Engineer A consulted when weighing disclosure of his autism.
Inherited from EthicalCode · note
A formal document that codifies ethical principles and professional conduct requirements for a profession (e.g. the NSPE, IEEE, or ACM code of ethics). As a document (IAO:0000310 via Guideline) it contains principles, obligations, and constraints, and is itself a professional-knowledge Resource; it is not itself a principle.
Properties
Text References:
"Engineer A considered the language in the NSPE Code of Ethics, which requires engineers to "avoid deceptive acts.""
Confidence: 0.95
Resource Category: ethical_code
[facts] "After considerable thought, Engineer A considered the language in the NSPE Code of Ethics, which requires engineers to "avoid deceptive acts.""
Field classification (triples vs literals)
Literal extractions (kept for synthesis)
  • textReferences content: Engineer A considered the language in the NSPE Code of Ethics, which requires engineers to "avoid deceptive acts."
  • resourceCategory content: ethical_code
  • confidence assessment: 0.95
Resources Individuals
1
NSPE Code of Ethics
Ethical Code
Linked
Ethical Code
C146
Text References:
"Engineer A considered the language in the NSPE Code of Ethics, which requires engineers to "avoid deceptive acts.""
Confidence: 0.93
Resource Class: Ethical Code
Document Title: NSPE Code of Ethics
Topic: avoiding deceptive acts in professional practice
Used By: Engineer A
Provision Codes: I.5
[facts] "After considerable thought, Engineer A considered the language in the NSPE Code of Ethics, which requires engineers to "avoid deceptive acts." Engineer A would like to be open about his autism, but be..."
Field classification (triples vs literals)
Relations (structural triples)
  • usedBy: Engineer A
Literal extractions (kept for synthesis)
  • textReferences content: Engineer A considered the language in the NSPE Code of Ethics, which requires engineers to "avoid deceptive acts."
  • resourceClass content: Ethical Code
  • documentTitle content: NSPE Code of Ethics
  • topic content: avoiding deceptive acts in professional practice
  • provisionCodes content: I.5
  • confidence assessment: 0.93
Pass 1: Contextual Framework - Facts
Review extracted entities, then continue to the next step
Continue to Discussion Review
Case texts: National Society of Professional Engineers, Board of Ethical Review.

NOTE: The NSPE Board of Ethical Review considers ethical cases involving either real or hypothetical matters submitted to it from NSPE members, other engineers, public officials, and members of the public. The BER reviews each case in the context of the NSPE Code of Ethics and earlier BER opinions. The facts contained in each case do not necessarily represent all of the pertinent facts submitted to or reviewed by the BER and shall not be considered a direct evaluation of any real matter that may have been submitted.

Each opinion is intended as guidance to individual practicing engineers, students, and the public. In regard to the question of application of the NSPE Code of Ethics to engineering organizations (e.g., corporations, partnerships, sole proprietorships, government agencies, and university engineering departments), the specific business form or type should not negate nor detract from the conformance of individuals to the Code. The NSPE Code deals with professional services, which must be performed by real persons. Real persons in turn establish and implement policies within business structures.

This opinion is for educational purposes only and is not legal advice. It may be reprinted without further permission, provided that this statement is included before or after the text of the case and appropriate attribution is provided to the National Society of Professional Engineers' Board of Ethical Review.

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