Section 8.05. Conflicts of interest.

 

(1)  An architect, landscape architect, professional engineer, designer or professional land surveyor:

(a) Shall avoid conflicts of interest. If an unavoidable conflict of interest arises, the registrant or licensee shall immediately inform the client or employer of all the circumstances which may interfere with or impair the registrant's or licensee's obligation to provide professional services. Under these circumstances a registrant or licensee may not proceed to provide professional services without the full approval and consent of the client or employer.

(b) Shall notify the employer or client and withdraw from employment at any time if it becomes apparent that it is not possible to faithfully discharge the responsibilities and duties owed to the client or employer.

(c) May not agree to perform professional services for a client or employer if the registrant or licensee has a significant financial or other interest which would impair or interfere with the registrant's or licensee's responsibility to faithfully discharge professional services on behalf of the client or employer.

(d) May not accept payment from any party other than a client or employer for a particular project or may not have any direct or indirect financial interest in a service or phase of a service to be provided as part of a project unless the employer or client approves.

(e) May not solicit or accept anything of value from material or equipment suppliers in return for specifying or endorsing a product.

(f) May not violate the confidences of a client or employer, except as otherwise required by rules in this chapter.

(g) May not perform services for a client or employer while a full-time employee of another employer without notifying all parties concerned.

(2)  Nothing in these rules limits a registrant's or a licensee's professional responsibility to an owner of a project when the registrant or licensee is employed by a person or firm under contract to construct and furnish design services for that project.

History: Cr. Register, February, 1987, No. 374 , eff. 3-1-87; am. (1) (intro.), Register, June, 1995, No. 474 , eff. 7-1-95; am. (1) (a) to (f), Register, January, 1999, No. 517 , eff. 2-1-99; am. (1) (intro.), Register, February, 2000, No. 530 , eff. 3-1-00; CR 15-036 : am. (1) (intro.), (a), (c), (2) Register January 2016 No. 721 , eff. 2-1-16; Correction under s. 35.17 , Stats., in (1) (a), (c), (2) Register January 2016 No. 721 .