Here’s an ethical dilemma. How would you have handled it?
Background: I’ll refer to the individual with the dilemma as “Angela”. Angela had recently left an employer that shortly thereafter wrongfully terminated another employee Angela had worked with. Angela was in position to confirm that it had been a wrongful termination. When confronted with a choice to do the right thing and reinstate the person after an appeal, those involved in the decision to terminate her circled their wagons and protected each other. One leader, during deposition committed perjury.
The terminated employee secured an attorney, who in turn asked Angela whether she would testify on behalf of the plaintiff. Angela still had friends at Company X, among them those directly involved in the wrongful termination. The ethical dilemma I refer to is this – was it right for Angela to agree to testify on behalf of the wrongfully terminated, or should she have declined?
Angela lost sleep over what to do. Ultimately she decided to testify on behalf of the plaintiff. She reasoned those who made the decision to wrongfully terminate and then covered it up were the ones with the real dilemma. Had leadership in that company practiced the same level of ethics they demand of others, and adhered to a simple Pre-Termination Checklist, the entire episode above – and resulting legal defense and settlement would never have occurred.
KeystoneHR has a number of policies available that focus on Coaching, Counseling, and Corrective Action: including a Pre-Termination Checklist. Judicious use of those, and a healthy dose of ethics can prevent your company from experiencing “sticky wicket” situations like the one above.
KeystoneHR offers Best Practices’ focused HR and related policies and documents, training, consultation, and project work. With over 40 years of progressive HR experience in Fortune 500 companies and upper-end LLC’s, our team is poised to help. See our website – KeystoneHR.info. KeystoneHR – Best-in-Class helping Best-in-Class.
