These are the conversations of our lives…

Bryan: Can you tell me, does everyone in the Engineering union automatically receive the Uniform Allowance benefit?

Client: The engineers, yes. That’s who gets the Uniform Allowance.

Bryan: Okay, right, good. So is it *everyone*? Do *all* the engineers get the allowance?

Client: Yes, they are all engineers. The Maintenance union used to get it too, but they bundled it into bonuses a couple of years ago. So it’s just the engineers.

Bryan: Uh-huh. That’s interesting. I was just wondering if the engineers *all* get it, or do some engineers *not* get it.

Client: Well, they all sign up for it. It’s a popular benefit.

Bryan: Yeah, I imagine so. What I should have said is “Is it ever possible for an engineer to *not* get it?”

Client: Well, all of our engineers get it, I don’t know why they wouldn’t. It’s like free money, whether you actually wear a uniform or not.

Bryan: Mmm, yeah. I would too. And is there any scenario where an engineer could ever *not* get it?

Client: Why wouldn’t they get it?

Bryan: I don’t know. But the software needs to know if they ever might not have it, and what to do if so.

Client: But they all DO have it.

Bryan: Yeah, but if it’s ever possible, I have to write the software to control for that.

Client: That seems weird, I can’t imagine why an engineer wouldn’t opt for the benefit.

Bryan: Right, me either. But it really doesn’t matter *why* as much as *if* it might happen. Do you know if it’s possible to process an engineer without the allowance?

Client: We never process them without it, because they all have it.

Bryan: Right, I understand. But do you know if the rules permit an engineer to be processed without the allowance?

Client: I have no idea…

Bryan: Okay, well, I’ll be back in a minute, after I plunge this pencil into my eye socket.