Associate Editor etiquitte

[deeoeraclea]

Is it ever appropriate for an associate editor (AE) of journal to ask another AE at the same journal to referee a paper?  This has happened to me multiple times and I do not think it is appropriate.  If the Editor-in-Chief wanted me to handle the paper, he/she would have asked me to do so.

Whether you agree or disagree with my logic, I would be interested to hear how others feel about this.

[Hegemony]

Doesn't bother me. 

[Parasaurolophus]

Aren't associate editors expected to referee a certain number of articles for the journal each year (like, two-ish, if memory serves)? If so, then there's nothing weird about it.

[Volhiker78]

In my field, biostatistics, this is fairly common.  The major journals have huge numbers of AE's whose expertise overlaps.  I have been assigned as an AE on a paper,  noticed that the paper referenced another AE's work, and asked that other AE to be a referee.  I never heard a complaint although sometimes the other AE said they were too busy.  It certainly wouldn't bother me if another AE asked me to be the referee a manuscript.  On papers that I handled at the AE, I usually did not serve as a referee unless the reviewers differed substantially in their opinions. 

[ab_grp]

I have been asked to serve as reviewer on papers when I've had specific expertise or there was a conflict of interest that made it difficult to find other suitable reviewers.  It has only happened a few times, I and have not questioned the review request in those circumstances, although I could foresee scenarios in which I might raise questions with the assigning AE or EIC.  I have not (yet?) needed to ask another AE to review papers that I've been assigned to handle as AE.  It may depend on the journal and (sub) field.

[youllneverwalkalone]

Is it ever appropriate for an associate editor (AE) of journal to ask another AE at the same journal to referee a paper?  This has happened to me multiple times and I do not think it is appropriate.  If the Editor-in-Chief wanted me to handle the paper, he/she would have asked me to do so.

Whether you agree or disagree with my logic, I would be interested to hear how others feel about this.

I do not see any logic in your argument to be honest. Editor and referee are different roles. You were invited to referee a paper based on your expertise, whether you have a formal affiliation with the journal is not the point (if anything, it makes you even more qualified to review the paper).

There is also a non trivial chance that the authors themselves suggested you as a referee, and that is why you got invited in the first place. 

[zyzzx]

Doesn't bother me. I've only been asked once so far, and had no problem with it (although I did turn it down, since I was too busy with other papers). I also don't know off the top of my head who all my fellow AEs are, so it would also be pretty easy to ask one without even realizing it.

I agree that they are different functions, and don't see a conflict there.