Professional Workplace Dilemma

Professional Workplace Dilemma

According to Webster's New World College Dictionary, morals, "is dealing with or capable of distinguishing between right and wrong, of teaching or in accordance with the principles of right and wrong" whereas ethics is "the study of standards of conduct and moral judgment; the system of morals of a particular person, religion, or group" (Charlton, 2008, p. 159, p. 297 ). My personal ethics are the values, beliefs, and morals, formed and nurtured from my up-bringing, family values, customs, and beliefs. I believe a person should respect the rights of others, and treat every person no matter what his or her, race, or class with respect and dignity. My personal ethics have defined me as a person and citizen. Additionally, my personal ethical framework has defined my professional career choice because of the same relevance and values. However, early in my career I faced moral dilemma that could make or break my professional career. The ethical issued described herein is of a high-ranking coworker who is stealing money when clients pay cash for the attorney's retainer fee. This essay will describe and analyze the dilemma, and evaluate the outcome of the situation.

Description of Ethical Issue

The collector has been with the firm for three years, has a close relationship with several of the supervisors within the company and I am the newly hired collector only of two months. I see through a mirror in the supervisors' office the collector receive cash from a mail in payment and the collector puts part of the money in her pocket. The collector registers the money in the accounts receivable log but on my behalf, putting my initial as though I carried out the task of taking the payment. Not notifying the supervisor of the collections, this illegal act could cause me to lose my job and never able to work in collections again, which deals with monetary actions. Notifying the supervisor of the collectors actions would require me to have proof to prove the allegations because I am a new employee and do not have close ties with any of the supervisors. If I ignore the situation and later accused of stealing, I would suffer drastic economic consequences of termination and unable to work in the collections field. I cannot confront the collector because she has power in the company and could turn the situation around and implement me. If I inform the supervisor of the allegation with proof, the collector will be fired; however, has no children and a husband who owns his own IT consulting firm; therefore, no drastic economic affects.

Analyzing the Ethical Dilemma

In analyzing the dilemma, the collector has power because she has a strong relationship with several of the supervisors, has been with the company for several years and is a high-ranking collector. Although the collector identified and I am ranked the same in the firm, I do not have any power because I am a newly hired collector and I do not have a close relationship with any of the supervisors because I am newly employed.

Was the collector falsifying documents to cover up her act of steeling the borrowers money, is the ethics in question. The act of steeling and falsifying documents conflicts with my personal values. I have an obligation to myself, the law, employers, coworkers, and borrowers to apply the principles of right and wrong, and act according to the ethics and values implied in the contract of employment with the company.

Potential outcomes consist of advising the collector I have knowledge and proof of the theft; however will give the collector the choice of informing the company of her actions. The second alternative is to provide proof with the ledger exposing the writing differences, and the borrower's testimony of amount paid to the company who hired me; therefore, the matter will be handled by the high-ranking manager.

Potential consequences in choosing the first alternative of confronting the collector, the best scenario would be that she takes the option to advise the supervisor of her acts, she is not fired but is ordered to repay the money stolen as a requirement to keep her job. The worse scenario would be the collector turns the issue around to implicate me because of the signature, makes a huge scene, I would be fired, and the collector continued the illegal behavior.

The second alternative with me providing proof of the theft to the high- ranking manager would be in the best scenario, the manager handles the matter without my name being implicated, and firing the collector. The worst case scenario would be the manager requiring me to advise the company of the allegations and proof, requiring me to be in the room and the managers confront the collector with the allegations. I believe I would face future confrontations