Review the short ethical dilemma
AN ETHICAL DILEMMA" Jayla just landed an internship with Acme Incorporated "I'm sorry," she replied, "It's just that my sales have in the Payroll Department. She was excited because been slipping, and my pay checks are much smaller than these internships usually turned into a full-time job after they used to be. If my pay decreases much further, I may graduation. Jayla was hired by Deon, the head of the Payroll lose my health benefits. My daughter is asthmatic, and Department. He told her about their policies and stressed she has been in and out of the hospital over the last few the need for maintaining strict confidentiality regarding months. " Jayla looked at Mary sympathetically and tried her employee salaries and pay scales. "Several years ago we best to console her. had an intern who violated the confidentiality policy and The next week, before the salespeople started coming was given a negative internship summary," explained Deon. into the office to pick from the pile, Jayla had some "I understand, sir," Jayla responded. documents for Deon to sign. When she arrived at his office. Jayla was determined to learn as much as she could the door was slightly open. She peeked in and saw Deon about the job. She made sure she was always on time, and Greg going through the stack of clients. Jayla watched followed all of the policies and procedures, and got along as Greg rifled through the pile and picked out files. well with her coworkers. She started to feel like she fit in "Thanks, Deon. These are the top clients for the at Acme and dreamed of the day when she worked there week, " Greg said. permanently. However, one day while studying the books, "No problem, Greg. " Deon responded "Anything for Jayla began to notice abnormalities in one salesperson's my favorite brother-in-law. Just keep up the good work." salary. Greg, one of the senior sales representatives, Jayla stood there, mouth open. She turned to walk made three times as much as the next highest earning back toward her desk. She could not believe what she just salesperson in the company. Jayla assumed he must be a saw. The boss was giving Greg all the good clients, while the spectacular salesperson and worked efficiently. She often rest of the salespeople had no choice in which they were overheard Mia, the General Manager, and Deon praise Greg assigned. Jayla knew this favoritism was a serious conflict of for his sales numbers. She also noticed the three of them interest. Then she thought of Mary and her situation. would often go to lunch together. "What am I supposed to do?" Jayla wondered. "If I say One morning, Deon handed a stack of client folders something to Deon, he will give me a bad evaluation. If I say to Jayla. He explained, "These are the clients for the anything to Mia, I may get fired. And I definitely can't say salespeople for the week. They will come to you when they anything to the other salespeople. There would be a riot." need more work, and they are only to take the files on top of Saddened, she sat at her desk and wondered what to do. the pile. You are in charge of making sure the salespeople don't pick and choose the files. This is how we keep things QUESTIONS | EXERCISES fair among the sales force." 1. Discuss how this conflict of interest situation affects "I will make sure the files are distributed fairly," other salespeople, the organizational culture, and other Jayla promised. She was excited to be trusted with this stakeholders. responsibility, and she made sure she did her best. Mary, 2. Describe the decision that Jayla must make. What are one of the salespeople, came by to get files for the week. the potential ramifications of her choices? They made small talk as Mary looked into her files. She 3. Are there legal ramifications to this kind of behavior? if looked disappointed. so, what are the potential consequences? "You didn't get any good clients?" Jayla asked. "Nope, not a one," replied Mary, "which is just my luck!" She threw down the files in exasperation. Jayla was "This case is strictly hypothetical; any ambiance to real persons, comps- concerned and asked, "What's the matter?"
