--- title: "Engineer opens confidential salary file" subject: "Engineering Professional Practice" chapter: 7 key: "semester_8/engineering_professional_practice:confidential-salary-file-conduct" source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_8/engineering_professional_practice/confidential-salary-file-conduct site: BCT Engineering --- # Engineer opens confidential salary file Engineering Professional Practice · Chapter 7: Case Studies based on Engineering Practices - Asked in: year not given - Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14 - Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_8/engineering_professional_practice/confidential-salary-file-conduct - Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_8/engineering_professional_practice/chapter-7 ## Question Engineer Ramesh Shrestha was working with the contractor in the mega construction project (say construction of multi-dimensional underground business complex in Kathmandu). You were given responsibility to control quality of work in the site. The construction company had maintained confidentiality of the incentives and salary of employees and the state of quality of work as a management tools. One day, Ramesh happen to come to the office of executive engineer Sudhir, from site. Er. Sudhir was not in his office. While waiting for Er. Sudhir, Er. Ramesh went through the computer of executive engineer. He opened entire confidential file of incentives and salaries of employees in the computer. He found differences in the level of salaries and incentives to different employees. In the mean time Er. Sudhir came to his room and found Ramesh looking confidential file on the computer. Sudhir was not happy with Ramesh for this act. How do you judge the conduct of Ramesh in the ethical ground? How should Sudhir react with Ramesh for this behavior? ## Short answer Ramesh acted unethically by breaching confidentiality and accessing the computer without permission, a possible violation of company policy and the Electronic Transactions Act. Sudhir should calmly discuss the matter privately, issue a proportionate warning, secure the computer, and review the pay policy if unfairness exists. ## Answer #### Judgement of Ramesh's conduct Ramesh was an engineer working for the contractor at the site. He had no work-related reason to read the salary and incentive file, and he entered the executive engineer's computer without permission while waiting. His conduct is unethical. - **Breach of confidentiality and trust:** the company had declared salary data confidential. Engineers must respect the confidentiality of the employer's information; the Nepal Engineering Council code of conduct calls for loyalty and faithful service. Opening the file out of curiosity is a misuse of an opportunity. - **Unauthorised access:** using another person's computer and opening files without permission violates company policy, and it may be an offence under the Electronic Transactions Act 2063 (unauthorised access to computer data). - **Harm:** such information can cause jealousy, demands, quarrels and loss of morale, and damage the trust between management and staff. - **Mitigating points:** he did not copy or spread the data (as far as the case says), the computer was left open, and he may be genuinely worried about fairness in pay. But these do not justify his act. If he felt the pay was unfair, the right step was to raise it with management. #### How Sudhir should react 1. Stay calm and talk to Ramesh in private, not in front of others. Ask what he saw and why. 2. Make Ramesh understand that the act was wrong, and ask him to keep what he saw confidential. Ask for his assurance that no copy or disclosure was made. 3. Follow the company's disciplinary procedure in a proportionate way: a written warning or a record in his file for a first mistake of this sort, not a harsh dismissal unless it is repeated or data has been leaked. 4. Fix the weakness: lock the computer and protect confidential files with passwords and access rights, since leaving the computer open was also Sudhir's own failure. 5. Review the pay and incentive policy. If real unfairness exists, correct it or explain the principles to the staff, because secrecy often produces such curiosity. 6. Remember that the confidentiality of the "state of quality of work" must not be used to hide defects that affect safety; any quality problem should be reported to the client. Both should keep the matter professional, and avoid revenge or gossip. ## Check yourself The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why. 1. Why was Ramesh's conduct unethical? A. He was late to the office B. He disagreed with the pay levels C. He worked on site, not in the office D. He had no work reason to open the confidential file and accessed another person's computer without permission Answer: D. He breached confidentiality and trust and accessed the computer without authority, out of curiosity. (Key point: Ethical judgement of Ramesh) 2. If Ramesh felt the salaries were unfair, what should he have done? A. Raise it with management B. Share the file with colleagues C. Copy the file as evidence D. Ignore it and say nothing ever Answer: A. Mitigating worries do not justify the act; the right route is to raise concerns with management. (Key point: Proper step for unfair pay) 3. What is the most appropriate reaction by Sudhir? A. Dismiss Ramesh immediately in front of others B. Talk privately, get an assurance of no disclosure, and apply a proportionate first-offence action such as a written warning C. Spread the matter to punish him D. Take no action at all Answer: B. A calm private talk and a proportionate response are advised; dismissal is for repeated acts or leaked data. (Key point: Sudhir's reaction) 4. What weakness should Sudhir fix on his side? A. Lock the computer and protect confidential files with passwords and access rights B. Stop keeping salary records C. Move his office to the site D. Publish all salaries to staff Answer: A. Leaving the confidential file open on an unlocked computer was also his failure. (Key point: Sudhir's own failure) ## Related in Engineering Professional Practice - [Site engineer uses weaker mortar and concrete mix](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Fengineering_professional_practice%3Amortar-ratio-friend-silence) — Engineering Professional Practice, chapter 7 - [Engineer's relation with client, contractor, fellows](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Fengineering_professional_practice%3Aengineer-relation-client-contractor) — Engineering Professional Practice, chapter 3 - [Substandard sand offered with cost-saving share](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Fengineering_professional_practice%3Asubstandard-sand-aggregate-share) — Engineering Professional Practice, chapter 7 - [Contractor friend's dinner and guesthouse offer](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Fengineering_professional_practice%3Afriend-dinner-guesthouse-ethics) — Engineering Professional Practice, chapter 7 - [Contractor asks supervisor to prepare running bill](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Fengineering_professional_practice%3Acontractor-running-bill-bribe) — Engineering Professional Practice, chapter 7 - [Unpaid sub-contractor beaten by labourers](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Fengineering_professional_practice%3Asubcontractor-unpaid-labour-case) — Engineering Professional Practice, chapter 7 ## Related in other subjects - [Quality; QA vs QC; site engineer steps](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fproject_engineering%3Aquality-qa-qc-site-engineer-steps) — Project Engineering, chapter 4 - [Asphalt concrete construction and quality control](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Ftransportation_engineering_ii%3Aasphalt-concrete-construction) — Transportation Engineering II, chapter 3, asked 5× - [Quality control in urban road construction](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fproject_engineering%3Aquality-control-urban-roads) — Project Engineering, chapter 4 - [Short note: Project quality control](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fproject_engineering%3Aquality-control-techniques-note) — Project Engineering, chapter 4, asked 2×