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Ask HN: I work for one company, but write code for another. Could this be bad?

3 points by Skywing ↗ HN
Hi all,

I'm employed by company A, at which I write software for company A. This is a straight-forward situation.

Company A created a second legal entity, company B. Company B started out as a separate company that company A would sell software under, for licensing reasons that are beyond me.

Recently though, I've been tasked with writing software specifically for company B. As in, I am now managing a team of developers who work for company B, and are writing software for company B, that B will sell. It is meant to be completely separate from A, legally. Now, whether technically it is or not, I do not know - I'm just part of this larger plan.

I'm the only employee at company A working within this cross-company configuration. I'm wondering if there's anything I should be concerned about, or if I should bring anything up with my bosses about this. If so, what should I be asking for? I kind of feel like I'm being overused, but don't really know how to go about handling it.

3 comments

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sebg
A few things you can do: a) Ask HR what entity is paying you (probably still A) b) Ask your Boss which company s(he) is working for (reporting lines are important in HR's eye's) c) Once you know what organization is paying you and what reporting lines you report into, then you can have a better idea of where you actually work. d) If it's all A and you are doing a whole bunch of work for B, then it's time to have a sit-down with boss to clarify things. e) You can always ask for a legal (sometimes free) consultation about what your rights are, what your tax implications are, etc...
alain94040
Assuming company B is a subsidiary of company A, there is nothing to worry about for you.
HeyLaughingBoy
This is unusual, but doesn't seem like a problem. You are working for company A and being contracted out to company B as a "consultant." B is probably paying A for your services assuming they are in fact separate corporations.