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I thought I'd start this thread as I am curious to see how many of you have faced this and how you have handled it.
Have you ever faced an ethical or borderline ethical dilemma at work? When was it, what was it, and how did you resolve it? Did you walk away.. or, share it with anyone else and stay?
Share your experience - let us all benefit from what you went through - look forward to your replies
There are tiny ethical issues that can be a matter of personal interpretation of standards...
And there are deep heart-felt ethical issues that really make you search your soul.
Sometimes you can avoid the little stuff, hold your nose, and carry on.
I have quit a job or two or walked away from interviews over the stuff that cuts to the bone.
I think it happens all of the time............I have experienced it in my life working at a university, and definitely in real estate.............sometimes I am surprised at what people are willing to ask people to, as they put it, bend the rules for.
Somethings I would never do, people do without questions, it all has to do with your own personal moral compass.
Personal decision. At the end of the day, the ONLY person you absulutely have to lay down with at night is yourself. There is no escaping it.
I have quit one job over borderline ethical issues, and I have put my foot down a few times and said respectfully "I can not do this".
I have a responsibility to my family first, so I usually try to find a constructive way to state my limits, and always try to find a solution that is ethical, and an alternative to what I am being asked to do. By doing this, I have been able to avoid drawing lines in the sand, as that can sometimes come back to bite you.
The one time I did quit, I was able to hold my ground long enough to find another position. I did not have to comprimise my ethics, but I did need to get out of there before it came to that.
I work in healthcare, (well, when I have a job), so I face them like every minute of every day. Ha.
I learned during my graduate internship that it's easier for the group if people keep their heads down and mouth shut by fighting the battles on the ground and at an individual level.
However, there were a few times that I rocked the boat and almost fell out. Including one where I basically told a MD he was making a bad call. (For the record, it's been 4 years, and I still think I was right!!!)
I had one MD supervisor who was awesome and loved to challenge me and was ok with me challenging him... though he still went with his expertise, obviously, on almost all decisions. The one I stood up to, he was a total douchenozzle... that's the kindest way I can explain it. He made a lot of costly errors (anyone in healthcare understands this hierarchy and how you protect the MD's at all costs), and I wasn't going to let him mess up crap for this particular kid!!
I stood up another few times too... it really doesn't make you popular but you know what... I can hold my head high and say I've never compromised my beliefs nor have I defrauded Medicaid/Medicare/Insurance. I'm proud of that... regardless of who else thinks it's foolish not to play the game.
Then again, I'm unemployed, so what the hell do I know?
The one I stood up to, he was a total douchenozzle...
I stood up another few times too... it really doesn't make you popular but you know what... I can hold my head high and say I've never compromised my beliefs nor have I defrauded Medicaid/Medicare/Insurance. I'm proud of that... regardless of who else thinks it's foolish not to play the game.
Then again, I'm unemployed, so what the hell do I know?
Rep points for effective use of the word Douchenozzle, and for standing up for your core values...
I did A/P for many years. I have seen things that would make your skin crawl. Never the low level worker who struggles financially, always the upper level managers.
I bring these things to the attention of my superiors. Not my job to confront upper management.
Rep points for effective use of the word Douchenozzle, and for standing up for your core values...
Same from me. I like that word. And I will use it.
Good for you. At the end of the day, you are the one that can look at yourself in the mirror and hold your head up!
As for me, my first real job was working for a lawyer. My parents just moved to Florida and I went with them, because hey, the beach!!!. I was 18. They were renting an apartment while trying to find a house. The lawyer owned the apartment building and that's how I got the job. But I hated it. I hated shorthand because I knew that but not all the legal terminology. This was in 1971 by the way. And back then things were not specialized like today. This guy did wills, divorces, minor criminal, everything. But he never wanted to talk to anyone that called. All I did was lie to clients and even his wife. And some of these people were not very nice. I was getting yelled at all the time. And I was afraid one of the guys was going to come in and shoot him and me. Sometimes people just showed up and waited for him. After a few months it got to be too much. So one day when he called me in for dictation and I gave him the stack of messages, some urgent, he tossed them aside and said don't worry about it. The end. I told him I couldn't do this anymore. I was afraid. I was tired of lying. And I told him he had no morals or ethics and treated his clients like garbage and I quit. Got my purse and left. I kind of surprised myself. Of course going down in the elevator it hit me he was probably going to throw us out of the apartment and was quite worried as to what my parents would say. But they were supportive and said I did the right thing. He didn't toss us out either. I do think he told people there he fired me because I wasn't working out. I didn't care.
I have not encountered anything more than some "grey areas" since then in the jobs I have had. But I know there is a line I will not cross so I am pretty much hoping the economy picks up and more jobs are avaiable if I should feel the need to "quit" again!
There are tiny ethical issues that can be a matter of personal interpretation of standards...
And there are deep heart-felt ethical issues that really make you search your soul.
Sometimes you can avoid the little stuff, hold your nose, and carry on.
I have quit a job or two or walked away from interviews over the stuff that cuts to the bone.
__________________________________________________ _
Thank you all for the great comments! It's heartwarming to see your responses and hear that you will not compromise your values. I should hve added earlier that the small dilemma's one might expect, but it's the big, in your face, whose side are you on ones that stun you. So....
As you took time to respond, I'd like to reciprocate - Mike, your 2nd sentence resonated w/me.
Catrick - that took courage too!
Racelady88 - interesting, you mentioned it was the hi level folks. That has been my experience too.
Wow30 - yes, I understand the environ you described, have friends in it, and know how hard it is to stand up.
Cry 84 - you are right!
BMateo = agree and came to this conclusion earlier today, one must be part of the solution.
Leigh -moral compass - absolutely!
Thanks again!
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