NAME: ____________________________________ DEADLINE: ______________

GROUP EXERCISE 3
Consider the following and then consult and share your answers. Consider an unethical practice that you
can remember in the work situation. See if you can identify which category of ethical behavior in the
Code of Conduct the situation belongs to, e.g. gifts and favors, physical threat. Describe the situation
briefly and what the consequences were for the persons involved and for the organization. What would be
the best way to behave in a similar situation?

SITUATION:
We were given a report with a deadline of one day to have completed. Four of us including the
supervisor were given a specific number of cases to work on the report. A particular coworker
told me that she did not actually work the report but instead, she copied and pasted scripts onto
the report as if she had worked the report. I was bothered by her lack of integrity, competency,
and dignity in her profession. I thought that the time she put into not working the report could
have been the time she put into working the report so that those cases would move and not
resurface later. I discussed the matter with the other coworker assigned to the work report. I
emailed my supervisor to inform her of what I had been told by my coworker. This coworker’s
lack of work ethic is going to cost us in the long run because these cases will appear on
additional reports and cause our caseload numbers to increase. Now I wonder how many times
this coworker had chosen to take shortcuts. My supervisor thanked me for informing her and
stated that the situation would be handled. I am unaware if disciplinary actions were taken.

TYPE OF ETHICAL PRINCIPLE INVOLVED:

(1) Competency, (2) Integrity and (3) Dignity of the profession.

CONSEQUENCES:
Due to the fact that my co-worker lacks competency, integrity, and dignity in her profession, she
was able to receive disciplinary action and was being graded as low on the employment
evaluation monitoring paper. She also received a one-month suspension that will surely affect
her life because she will have no salary for 1 month. Hence, no consequences were taken to the
organization because the response of the problem was fixed already before it affects the whole
organization.

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WHAT WOULD BE THE BEST WAY TO BEHAVE IN A SIMILAR SITUATION?
In a similar situation, you would think most companies believe in teamwork. And it is obvious
you believe in teamwork as well and you also took the initiative to help a coworker for the
betterment of everyone. I am sure your boss's issue with assisting a coworker is in direct
contradiction with the company's mission statement which usually encourages teamwork.

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