Symfony2-UniqueEntity不起作用

Question

I have a symfony entity that has a linked entity inside. I can't get UniqueEntity to work correctly.

When I run the form on this all the Asserts work correctly except the unique ones. It just completely ignores it. If I remove the employer field from UniqueEntity then it works. However that isn't what I need. I need a unique entity with a combination of both as you can see in the UniqueConstraints.

To clarify, the error that I get is a duplicate entry error 500 (exception) for each of the four fields, instead of nice duplicate errors without the error 500.

Employee.php ($employer is the second entity)

<?php

namespace TechE\DashboardBundle\Entity;

use Doctrine\ORM\Mapping as ORM;
use JMS\Serializer\Annotation\Type;
use libphonenumber\PhoneNumber;
use Misd\PhoneNumberBundle\Validator\Constraints\PhoneNumber as AssertPhoneNumber;
use Symfony\Component\Validator\Constraints as Assert;
use Symfony\Bridge\Doctrine\Validator\Constraints\UniqueEntity;

/**
 * Employee
 *
 * @ORM\Table(name="employee", uniqueConstraints={@ORM\UniqueConstraint(name="EMPLOYEE_SSN", columns={"EMPLOYEE_SSN", "EMPLOYER_ID"}), @ORM\UniqueConstraint(name="EMPLOYEE_EMAIL", columns={"EMPLOYEE_EMAIL", "EMPLOYER_ID"})}, indexes={@ORM\Index(name="EMPLOYER_ID", columns={"EMPLOYER_ID"})})
 * @UniqueEntity(fields={"employer","employeeEmail"},errorPath="employeeEmail", message="This email is already in use.")
 * @UniqueEntity(fields={"employer","employeeClockPin"},errorPath="employeeClockPin", message="This pin is already in use.")
 * @UniqueEntity(fields={"employer","employeeSsn"},errorPath="employeeSsn", message="This ssn is already in use.")
 * @ORM\Entity
 */
class Employee {
    /**
     * @var integer
     *
     * @ORM\Column(name="EMPLOYEE_ID", type="integer")
     * @ORM\Id
     * @ORM\GeneratedValue(strategy="IDENTITY")
     */
    private $employeeId;

    /**
     * @var \DateTime
     *
     * @ORM\Column(name="MODIFIED_TIME", type="datetime", nullable=false)
     */
    private $modifiedTime;

    /**
     * @var string
     *
     * @ORM\Column(name="EMPLOYEE_EMAIL", type="string", length=255, nullable=false)
     * @Assert\NotBlank()
     * @Assert\Email(
     *     message = "The email '{{ value }}' is not a valid email.",
     *     checkMX = true,
     *     checkHost = true
     * )
     */
    private $employeeEmail;

    /**
     * @var string
     *
     * @ORM\Column(name="EMPLOYEE_PASSWORD", type="string", length=255, nullable=false)
     * @Assert\Length(min = "3", max ="25", minMessage = "Must be at least {{ limit }} characters length",
     *      maxMessage = "Cannot be longer than {{ limit }} characters length")
     * @Assert\NotBlank()
     */
    private $employeePassword;

    /**
     * @var string
     *
     * @ORM\Column(name="EMPLOYEE_CLOCK_PIN", type="string", length=7, nullable=false)
     * @Assert\Length(min = "3", max ="7", minMessage = "Must be at least {{ limit }} characters length",
     *      maxMessage = "Cannot be longer than {{ limit }} characters length")
     * @Assert\NotBlank()
     */
    private $employeeClockPin;

    /**
     * @var string
     *
     * @ORM\Column(name="EMPLOYEE_FIRST", type="string", length=255, nullable=false)
     * @Assert\Length(min = "3", max ="255", minMessage = "Must be at least {{ limit }} characters length",
     *      maxMessage = "Cannot be longer than {{ limit }} characters length")
     * @Assert\NotBlank()
     */
    private $employeeFirst;

    /**
     * @var string
     *
     * @ORM\Column(name="EMPLOYEE_LAST", type="string", length=255, nullable=false)
     * @Assert\Length(min = "3", max ="255", minMessage = "Must be at least {{ limit }} characters length",
     *      maxMessage = "Cannot be longer than {{ limit }} characters length")
     * @Assert\NotBlank()
     */
    private $employeeLast;

    /**
     * @var string
     *
     * @ORM\Column(name="EMPLOYEE_MIDDLE", type="string", length=1, nullable=true)
     * @Assert\Length(max ="1",
     *      maxMessage = "Cannot be longer than {{ limit }} characters length")
     */
    private $employeeMiddle;

    /**
     * @var string
     *
     * @ORM\Column(name="EMPLOYEE_NICKNAME", type="string", length=255, nullable=true)
     * @Assert\Length(max ="255",
     *      maxMessage = "Cannot be longer than {{ limit }} characters length")
     */
    private $employeeNickname;

    /**
     * @var PhoneNumber
     * @Type("libphonenumber\PhoneNumber")
     * @ORM\Column(name="EMPLOYEE_PRIMARY_PHONE", type="phone_number", length=35, nullable=false)
     * @AssertPhoneNumber(defaultRegion="US")
     * @Assert\Length(max ="35")
     * @Assert\NotBlank()
     */
    private $employeePrimaryPhone;

    /**
     * @var PhoneNumber
     * @Type("libphonenumber\PhoneNumber")
     * @ORM\Column(name="EMPLOYEE_SECONDARY_PHONE", type="phone_number", length=35, nullable=true)
     * @AssertPhoneNumber(defaultRegion="US")
     */
    private $employeeSecondaryPhone;

    /**
     * @var PhoneNumber
     * @Type("libphonenumber\PhoneNumber")
     * @ORM\Column(name="EMPLOYEE_TEXT_CAPABLE_PHONE", type="phone_number", length=35, nullable=true)
     * @AssertPhoneNumber(defaultRegion="US")
     */
    private $employeeTextCapablePhone;

    /**
     * @var string
     *
     * @ORM\Column(name="EMPLOYEE_SSN", type="string", length=255, nullable=false)
     * @Assert\Length(min = "9", max ="50", minMessage = "Must be at least {{ limit }} characters length",
     *      maxMessage = "Cannot be longer than {{ limit }} characters length")
     * @Assert\NotBlank()
     */
    private $employeeSsn;

    /**
     * @var \TechE\DashboardBundle\Entity\Employer
     *
     * @ORM\ManyToOne(targetEntity="TechE\DashboardBundle\Entity\Employer")
     * @ORM\JoinColumns({
     *   @ORM\JoinColumn(name="EMPLOYER_ID", referencedColumnName="EMPLOYER_ID")
     * })
     */
    private $employer;

    /**
     * @var boolean
     *
     * @ORM\Column(name="EMPLOYEE_SUSPENDED", type="boolean", length=1, nullable=false)
     */
    private $employeeSuspended = 0;
    /**
     * @var string
     * @ORM\Column(name="EMPLOYEE_SEX", type="string", length=1, nullable=false)
     * @Assert\Choice(
     *     choices = { "m", "f" },
     *     message = "Choose a valid gender.")
     */
    private $employeeSex;

    /**
     * Get employeeId
     *
     * @return integer
     */
    public function getEmployeeId() {
        return $this -> employeeId;
    }

    /**
     * Set modifiedTime
     *
     * @param \DateTime $modifiedTime
     * @return Employee
     */
    public function setModifiedTime($modifiedTime) {
        $this -> modifiedTime = $modifiedTime;

        return $this;
    }

    /**
     * Get modifiedTime
     *
     * @return \DateTime
     */
    public function getModifiedTime() {
        return $this -> modifiedTime;
    }

    /**
     * Set employeeEmail
     *
     * @param string $employeeEmail
     * @return Employee
     */
    public function setEmployeeEmail($employeeEmail) {
        $this -> employeeEmail = $employeeEmail;

        return $this;
    }

    /**
     * Get employeeEmail
     *
     * @return string
     */
    public function getEmployeeEmail() {
        return $this -> employeeEmail;
    }

    /**
     * Set employeePassword
     *
     * @param string $employeePassword
     * @return Employee
     */
    public function setEmployeePassword($employeePassword) {
        $this -> employeePassword = $employeePassword;

        return $this;
    }

    /**
     * Get employeePassword
     *
     * @return string
     */
    public function getEmployeePassword() {
        return $this -> employeePassword;
    }

    /**
     * Set employeeClockPin
     *
     * @param string $employeeClockPin
     * @return Employee
     */
    public function setEmployeeClockPin($employeeClockPin) {
        $this -> employeeClockPin = $employeeClockPin;

        return $this;
    }

    /**
     * Get employeeClockPin
     *
     * @return string
     */
    public function getEmployeeClockPin() {
        return $this -> employeeClockPin;
    }

    /**
     * Set employeeFirst
     *
     * @param string $employeeFirst
     * @return Employee
     */
    public function setEmployeeFirst($employeeFirst) {
        $this -> employeeFirst = $employeeFirst;

        return $this;
    }

    /**
     * Get employeeFirst
     *
     * @return string
     */
    public function getEmployeeFirst() {
        return $this -> employeeFirst;
    }

    /**
     * Set employeeLast
     *
     * @param string $employeeLast
     * @return Employee
     */
    public function setEmployeeLast($employeeLast) {
        $this -> employeeLast = $employeeLast;

        return $this;
    }

    /**
     * Get employeeLast
     *
     * @return string
     */
    public function getEmployeeLast() {
        return $this -> employeeLast;
    }

    /**
     * Set employeeMiddle
     *
     * @param string $employeeMiddle
     * @return Employee
     */
    public function setEmployeeMiddle($employeeMiddle) {
        $this -> employeeMiddle = $employeeMiddle;

        return $this;
    }

    /**
     * Get employeeMiddle
     *
     * @return string
     */
    public function getEmployeeMiddle() {
        return $this -> employeeMiddle;
    }

    /**
     * Set employeeNickname
     *
     * @param string $employeeNickname
     * @return Employee
     */
    public function setEmployeeNickname($employeeNickname) {
        $this -> employeeNickname = $employeeNickname;

        return $this;
    }

    /**
     * Get employeeNickname
     *
     * @return string
     */
    public function getEmployeeNickname() {
        return $this -> employeeNickname;
    }

    /**
     * Set employeePrimaryPhone
     *
     * @param PhoneNumber $employeePrimaryPhone
     * @return Employee
     */
    public function setEmployeePrimaryPhone($employeePrimaryPhone) {
        $this -> employeePrimaryPhone = $employeePrimaryPhone;

        return $this;
    }

    /**
     * Get employeePrimaryPhone
     *
     * @return PhoneNumber
     */
    public function getEmployeePrimaryPhone() {
        return $this -> employeePrimaryPhone;
    }

    /**
     * Set employeeSecondaryPhone
     *
     * @param PhoneNumber $employeeSecondaryPhone
     * @return Employee
     */
    public function setEmployeeSecondaryPhone($employeeSecondaryPhone) {
        $this -> employeeSecondaryPhone = $employeeSecondaryPhone;

        return $this;
    }

    /**
     * Get employeeSecondaryPhone
     *
     * @return PhoneNumber
     */
    public function getEmployeeSecondaryPhone() {
        return $this -> employeeSecondaryPhone;
    }

    /**
     * Set employeeTextCapablePhone
     *
     * @param PhoneNumber $employeeTextCapablePhone
     * @return Employee
     */
    public function setEmployeeTextCapablePhone($employeeTextCapablePhone) {
        $this -> employeeTextCapablePhone = $employeeTextCapablePhone;

        return $this;
    }

    /**
     * Get employeeTextCapablePhone
     *
     * @return PhoneNumber
     */
    public function getEmployeeTextCapablePhone() {
        return $this -> employeeTextCapablePhone;
    }

    /**
     * Set employeeSsn
     *
     * @param string $employeeSsn
     * @return Employee
     */
    public function setEmployeeSsn($employeeSsn) {
        $this -> employeeSsn = $employeeSsn;

        return $this;
    }

    /**
     * Get employeeSsn
     *
     * @return string
     */
    public function getEmployeeSsn() {
        return $this -> employeeSsn;
    }

    /**
     * Set employer
     *
     * @param \TechE\DashboardBundle\Entity\Employer $employer
     * @return Employee
     */
    public function setEmployer(\TechE\DashboardBundle\Entity\Employer $employer = null) {
        $this -> employer = $employer;

        return $this;
    }

    /**
     * Get employer
     *
     * @return \TechE\DashboardBundle\Entity\Employer $employer
     */
    public function getEmployer() {
        return $this -> employer;

    }

    /**
     * Get employeeSuspended
     *
     * @return boolean
     */
    public function isEmployeeSuspended() {
        return $this -> employeeSuspended;
    }

    /**
     * Set employeeSuspended
     *
     * @param string $employeeSuspended
     * @return Employee
     */
    public function setEmployeeSuspended($employeeSuspended = 0) {
        $this -> employeeSuspended = $employeeSuspended;

        return $this;
    }

    /**
     * Set employeeSex
     *
     * @param string $employeeSex
     * @return Employee
     */
    public function setEmployeeSex($employeeSex) {
        $this -> employeeSex = $employeeSex;

        return $this;
    }

    /**
     * Get employeeSex
     *
     * @return string
     */
    public function getEmployeeSex() {
        return $this -> employeeSex;
    }

}

Employer.php

<?php

namespace TechE\DashboardBundle\Entity;

use Doctrine\ORM\Mapping as ORM;

/**
 * Employer
 *
 * @ORM\Table(name="employer", uniqueConstraints={@ORM\UniqueConstraint(name="EMPLOYER_SUBDOMAIN", columns={"EMPLOYER_SUBDOMAIN"})})
 * @ORM\Entity
 */
class Employer
{
    /**
     * @var integer
     *
     * @ORM\Column(name="EMPLOYER_ID", type="integer")
     * @ORM\Id
     * @ORM\GeneratedValue(strategy="IDENTITY")
     */
    private $employerId;

    /**
     * @var \DateTime
     *
     * @ORM\Column(name="MODIFIED_TIME", type="datetime", nullable=false)
     */
    private $modifiedTime;

    /**
     * @var string
     *
     * @ORM\Column(name="EMPLOYER_NAME", type="string", length=255, nullable=false)
     */
    private $employerName;

    /**
     * @var string
     *
     * @ORM\Column(name="EMPLOYER_BILLING", type="text", nullable=false)
     */
    private $employerBilling;

    /**
     * @var string
     *
     * @ORM\Column(name="EMPLOYER_BILLING_2", type="string", length=255, nullable=false)
     */
    private $employerBilling2;

    /**
     * @var string
     *
     * @ORM\Column(name="EMPLOYER_BILLING_CITY", type="string", length=255, nullable=false)
     */
    private $employerBillingCity;

    /**
     * @var string
     *
     * @ORM\Column(name="EMPLOYER_BILLING_STATE", type="string", length=255, nullable=false)
     */
    private $employerBillingState;

    /**
     * @var string
     *
     * @ORM\Column(name="EMPLOYER_BILLING_ZIP", type="string", length=255, nullable=false)
     */
    private $employerBillingZip;

    /**
     * @var string
     *
     * @ORM\Column(name="EMPLOYER_COMPANY_NAME", type="string", length=255, nullable=false)
     */
    private $employerCompanyName;

    /**
     * @var string
     *
     * @ORM\Column(name="EMPLOYER_MONTHLY", type="string", length=255, nullable=false)
     */
    private $employerMonthly;

    /**
     * @var boolean
     *
     * @ORM\Column(name="EMPLOYER_SUSPENDED", type="boolean", nullable=false)
     */
    private $employerSuspended;

    /**
     * @var string
     *
     * @ORM\Column(name="EMPLOYER_SUBDOMAIN", type="string", length=255, nullable=true)
     */
    private $employerSubdomain;



    /**
     * Get employerId
     *
     * @return integer 
     */
    public function getEmployerId()
    {
        return $this->employerId;
    }

    /**
     * Set modifiedTime
     *
     * @param \DateTime $modifiedTime
     * @return Employer
     */
    public function setModifiedTime($modifiedTime)
    {
        $this->modifiedTime = $modifiedTime;

        return $this;
    }

    /**
     * Get modifiedTime
     *
     * @return \DateTime 
     */
    public function getModifiedTime()
    {
        return $this->modifiedTime;
    }

    /**
     * Set employerName
     *
     * @param string $employerName
     * @return Employer
     */
    public function setEmployerName($employerName)
    {
        $this->employerName = $employerName;

        return $this;
    }

    /**
     * Get employerName
     *
     * @return string 
     */
    public function getEmployerName()
    {
        return $this->employerName;
    }

    /**
     * Set employerBilling
     *
     * @param string $employerBilling
     * @return Employer
     */
    public function setEmployerBilling($employerBilling)
    {
        $this->employerBilling = $employerBilling;

        return $this;
    }

    /**
     * Get employerBilling
     *
     * @return string 
     */
    public function getEmployerBilling()
    {
        return $this->employerBilling;
    }

    /**
     * Set employerBilling2
     *
     * @param string $employerBilling2
     * @return Employer
     */
    public function setEmployerBilling2($employerBilling2)
    {
        $this->employerBilling2 = $employerBilling2;

        return $this;
    }

    /**
     * Get employerBilling2
     *
     * @return string 
     */
    public function getEmployerBilling2()
    {
        return $this->employerBilling2;
    }

    /**
     * Set employerBillingCity
     *
     * @param string $employerBillingCity
     * @return Employer
     */
    public function setEmployerBillingCity($employerBillingCity)
    {
        $this->employerBillingCity = $employerBillingCity;

        return $this;
    }

    /**
     * Get employerBillingCity
     *
     * @return string 
     */
    public function getEmployerBillingCity()
    {
        return $this->employerBillingCity;
    }

    /**
     * Set employerBillingState
     *
     * @param string $employerBillingState
     * @return Employer
     */
    public function setEmployerBillingState($employerBillingState)
    {
        $this->employerBillingState = $employerBillingState;

        return $this;
    }

    /**
     * Get employerBillingState
     *
     * @return string 
     */
    public function getEmployerBillingState()
    {
        return $this->employerBillingState;
    }

    /**
     * Set employerBillingZip
     *
     * @param string $employerBillingZip
     * @return Employer
     */
    public function setEmployerBillingZip($employerBillingZip)
    {
        $this->employerBillingZip = $employerBillingZip;

        return $this;
    }

    /**
     * Get employerBillingZip
     *
     * @return string 
     */
    public function getEmployerBillingZip()
    {
        return $this->employerBillingZip;
    }

    /**
     * Set employerCompanyName
     *
     * @param string $employerCompanyName
     * @return Employer
     */
    public function setEmployerCompanyName($employerCompanyName)
    {
        $this->employerCompanyName = $employerCompanyName;

        return $this;
    }

    /**
     * Get employerCompanyName
     *
     * @return string 
     */
    public function getEmployerCompanyName()
    {
        return $this->employerCompanyName;
    }

    /**
     * Set employerMonthly
     *
     * @param string $employerMonthly
     * @return Employer
     */
    public function setEmployerMonthly($employerMonthly)
    {
        $this->employerMonthly = $employerMonthly;

        return $this;
    }

    /**
     * Get employerMonthly
     *
     * @return string 
     */
    public function getEmployerMonthly()
    {
        return $this->employerMonthly;
    }

    /**
     * Set employerSuspended
     *
     * @param boolean $employerSuspended
     * @return Employer
     */
    public function setEmployerSuspended($employerSuspended)
    {
        $this->employerSuspended = $employerSuspended;

        return $this;
    }

    /**
     * Get employerSuspended
     *
     * @return boolean 
     */
    public function getEmployerSuspended()
    {
        return $this->employerSuspended;
    }

    /**
     * Set employerSubdomain
     *
     * @param string $employerSubdomain
     * @return Employer
     */
    public function setEmployerSubdomain($employerSubdomain)
    {
        $this->employerSubdomain = $employerSubdomain;

        return $this;
    }

    /**
     * Get employerSubdomain
     *
     * @return string 
     */
    public function getEmployerSubdomain()
    {
        return $this->employerSubdomain;
    }
}

EmployeeType.php

<?php
// src/TechE/DashboardBundle/Form/EmployeeType.php
namespace TechE\DashboardBundle\Form;

use libphonenumber\PhoneNumberFormat;
use Symfony\Component\Form\AbstractType;
use Symfony\Component\Form\FormBuilderInterface;
use Symfony\Component\OptionsResolver\OptionsResolverInterface;

class EmployeeType extends AbstractType {
    public function buildForm(FormBuilderInterface $builder, array $options) {
        $builder -> add('employeeEmail');
        $builder -> add('employeePassword', 'password', array('attr' => array(
                'min' => '3',
                'max' => '25',
                'pattern' => '.{3,25}'
            )));
        $builder -> add('employeeClockPin', 'password', array('attr' => array(
                'min' => '3',
                'max' => '7',
                'pattern' => '.{3,7}'
            )));
        $builder -> add('employeeFirst', null, array('attr' => array(
                'min' => '3',
                'max' => '255',
                'pattern' => '.{3,255}'
            )));
        $builder -> add('employeeMiddle');
        $builder -> add('employeeLast', null, array('attr' => array(
                'min' => '3',
                'max' => '255',
                'pattern' => '.{3,255}'
            )));
        $builder -> add('employeeNickname');
        $builder -> add('employeePrimaryPhone', 'tel');
        $builder -> add('employeeSecondaryPhone', 'tel', array('required' => false));
        $builder -> add('employeeTextCapablePhone', 'tel', array('required' => false));
        $builder -> add('employeeSsn', null, array('attr' => array(
                'min' => '9',
                'max' => '50',
                'pattern' => '.{9,50}'
            )));
        $builder -> add('employeeSex', 'choice', array(
            'choices' => array(
                'm' => 'Male',
                'f' => 'Female'
            ),
            'empty_value' => 'Choose a gender',
        ));
    }

    /**
     * @param OptionsResolverInterface $resolver
     */
    public function setDefaultOptions(OptionsResolverInterface $resolver) {
        $resolver -> setDefaults(array(
            'data_class' => 'TechE\DashboardBundle\Entity\Employee',
            'cascade_validation' => true,
        ));
    }

    /**
     * @return string
     */
    public function getName() {
        return 'teche_dashboardbundle_employee';
    }

}

Controller action

public function employee_addAction(Request $request) {
    $this -> initialize('Add Employee') -> employeeTab() -> addToBreadcrumb('TechEDashboardBundle_employee_add', 'Add Employee', '', true);
    $this -> parameters['group']['children']['TechEDashboardBundle_employee']['breadcrumb'] = true;
    $employee = new Employee();
    $form = $this -> createForm(new EmployeeType(), $employee);
    $data = $form -> getData();
    $form -> handleRequest($request);
    if ($form -> isValid()) {
        $em = $this -> getDoctrine() -> getManager();
        $data = $form -> getData();
        $employer = $this -> getCurrentEmployer();
        $data -> setEmployer($employer);
        $em -> persist($data);
            $em -> flush();
            return $this -> redirect($this -> generateUrl('TechEDashboardBundle_employee_email', array('email' => $data -> getEmployeeEmail())));
    }
    $this -> parameters['form'] = $form -> createView();
    return $this -> render('TechEDashboardBundle:Page:Employee/add.html.twig', $this -> getParameter());
}

Update: I looked into the queries ran when inserting. Only one extra query was ran before the insert (which of course failed).

SELECT t0.EMPLOYER_ID AS EMPLOYER_ID1, t0.MODIFIED_TIME AS MODIFIED_TIME2, t0.EMPLOYER_NAME AS EMPLOYER_NAME3, t0.EMPLOYER_BILLING AS EMPLOYER_BILLING4, t0.EMPLOYER_BILLING_2 AS EMPLOYER_BILLING_25, t0.EMPLOYER_BILLING_CITY AS EMPLOYER_BILLING_CITY6, t0.EMPLOYER_BILLING_STATE AS EMPLOYER_BILLING_STATE7, t0.EMPLOYER_BILLING_ZIP AS EMPLOYER_BILLING_ZIP8, t0.EMPLOYER_COMPANY_NAME AS EMPLOYER_COMPANY_NAME9, t0.EMPLOYER_MONTHLY AS EMPLOYER_MONTHLY10, t0.EMPLOYER_SUSPENDED AS EMPLOYER_SUSPENDED11, t0.EMPLOYER_SUBDOMAIN AS EMPLOYER_SUBDOMAIN12 FROM employer t0 WHERE t0.EMPLOYER_ID = 1

Doesn't look like the correct query to check EMPLOYEE_EMAIL and EMPLOYER_ID uniqueness.

Update 2: I know all about the try catch exception for the integrity error. I don't want to do it like that because performance speaking it's disgusting. Plus it would require me to search the exception message and see which column is giving me an integrity error for. And it would only work one column at a time making it extremely annoying in the case that all 3 constraints are not met.

Answer 1

Ok so it seems that I never actually set the employer variable to be what it needs to be.

The following fixed the issue. Note:

$employer = $this -> getCurrentEmployer();
$employee -> setEmployer($employer);

The new method:

public function employee_addAction(Request $request) {
    $this -> initialize('Add Employee') -> employeeTab() -> addToBreadcrumb('TechEDashboardBundle_employee_add', 'Add Employee', '', true);
    $this -> parameters['group']['children']['TechEDashboardBundle_employee']['breadcrumb'] = true;
    $employee = new Employee();
    $employer = $this -> getCurrentEmployer();
    $employee -> setEmployer($employer);
    $form = $this -> createForm(new EmployeeType(), $employee);
    $form -> handleRequest($request);
    if ($form -> isValid()) {
        $em = $this -> getDoctrine() -> getManager();
        $data = $form -> getData();
        $data -> setEmployer($employer);
        $em -> persist($data);
        $em -> flush();
        return $this -> redirect($this -> generateUrl('TechEDashboardBundle_employee_email', array('email' => $data -> getEmployeeEmail())));
    }
    $this -> parameters['form'] = $form -> createView();
    return $this -> render('TechEDashboardBundle:Page:Employee/add.html.twig', $this -> getParameter());
}