Subject verb agreement
When using the form Employer/Insurer, in place of the The Employer and Insurer, is it correct to use a plural verb? For example: "The Employer/Insurer are," or "The Employer/Insurer is?"
asked Mar 27 '12 at 01:01
Joseph A. Maniscalco, Jr.
New member
Joseph A. Maniscalco, Jr.
New member
1 answer 
This depends on your use of the forward slash. The answer will be different depending on whether you are using it as an "or" or an "and".
- If you are using the forward slash in place of "or", e.g. a duty falls on Employer or Insurer, you should use a singular verb.
- Conversely, if you are using the forward slash in place of "and", e.g. a duty falls on Employer and Insurer, then you should use a plural verb.
However, there is a rider to the second point. If you are discussing a specific instance or group where the Employer is the Insurer, for example a self-insuring employer, then you could correctly use a singular verb.
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answered Mar 27 '12 at 01:41
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Thanks for the detailed answer.
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