🚨 Problematic Situation 🚨

Question

Have you ever been asked to do anything unethical or illegal by your employers?

If yes, then what action did you took? Share your experience (without mentioning any private details of course!).

Your story might help save someone's life/career.

Btw, I myself have never been asked to do that.

Answer 1

The word NO! becomes very useful in these situations you can't do wrong by knowing whats right, always look after your self it can be rewarding in the long run.

Answer 2

When you compromise your principles you willing Surrender Your Life as you know it.
That's when you start going up the down staircase.
It's better to just quit the job.
You were able to find that job, so now do yourself a favor and find different one.
Don't let them take advantage of you or your skills.

Answer 3

Have courage to say NO.

Answer 4

Rajeshwari Kamatar just post it:
you have always to conform with your conciousness. Respect and apply your own valor or you could not find the peace. That's my humble advice.

Rajeshwari Kamatar just post it:

https://www.sololearn.com/post/103568/?ref=app

Answer 5

We all have signed NDAs and contracts which constrain our abilities to act independently in this type of scenario. I have been asked more than once & in each situation, I found a "back door" so to speak, or found a way to circumvent the actual un-ethical attributes of the situation. For example; I was teaching high-end math & It came to my attention one of my aides (who somehow got past a background check) was a sex-offender. This was a huge deal to my peers and me. (& students though they didn't realize) I was trained as a mandatory reporter, but was ordered by administration not to report the offender. (Did not sit well for me) I had to wait 24 hours for the head admin to be off site, ordered the sex-offender to do tasks which kept them out of all classrooms and met with the dean of students. (He was also a police officer) I simply planted seeds of thought. I told him that it was beyond my reach to be able to access the personnel files, but informed the dean of statements made by the offending party which caused my realization of their issue. He reacted in kind, and also wanted to know how in depth the background report was. After our conversation, administration stepped in and ordered us (the dean and I) not to communicate; but the seed was planted. Outside of work he ran the person's information through the sex-offender database and bam! There it was. My gut was right, but the outcome was this:
While I kept the aide out of the classrooms through mindless tasks, the dean reported the data to administration. In return, they were forced to terminate the individual, and also terminated the dean!! I couldn't believe it. My name was not attached to the actual report, so I was left in the clear, but still feel guilt that the dean, a man who's only interest was for our students, lost his job for bringing light to a possible liability. We met again and he is doing well, & years later the administration lost their jobs, but sometimes it can become a chess game. What's the moral? you decide. I resigned my position

Answer 6

I must admit that I was asked and also that I complied. It was unethical, but at the same time it was made very clear to me that I would be fired if I refused to do it. I am a poor man and I needed to keep that job otherwise I would have been homeless. Judge me all you want and write your "just say no" and "have courage", but if you were in my situatuon, I doubt you would have made a different choice than I did. It is rarely possible for people to refuse such requests from employers, because the employer always knows that you cannot really afford to refuse them.

Answer 7

Haven't experienced that situation but I am imagining the dilemma "You wanna lost the job or you wanna go to jail"

Answer 8

Really interesting questions and answers here. Thank you for posting them, and gl to those currently facing this kind of situation. Just do the best you can.

Answer 9

Well doing an illegal job might be good in that short term but will never be as good as some may expect in the long term, so always follow your principles and listen to your conscience.

Answer 10

I have never been asked fortunately.

Answer 11

Never...My employees are good....they don't think so.

Answer 12

A boss who asks you to be unethical is going to use you as a scapegoat when the infraction gets exposed. If you do it, knowing it to be wrong, then all blame will be upon you. Don't expect his support. He will turn against you and do whatever it takes to keep his own job.

Answer 13

Yes some years ago my ex manager asked me to perform an illegal action but I have denied to that activity. After some months he was fired. Thank GOD never happened again

Answer 14

I am usually asked by some clients to inlclude 'questionable' features to circumvent some tax laws. After some explanations, I met them half way. It largely depends on the relationship and the situation. The client was not really violating the law. And if they do, our company can not be found liable

Answer 15

There are different kind of situations... Sometimes it can be difficult to say No to your Boss...
But you can try to do two things :
One - you can ask: if something will go wrong - who will be responsible?
Second way... You can ask for official paper with order...

Of course I don't know all of you situation and just have a guess, so...

Answer 16

We are just learners not employees. If you wanna to know such things then their is other option in sololearn

Answer 17

Ethics and technology are almost two parallels.
the chances for change exists at such a narrow. however, individual discipline is important.
your boss has no right to terminate you if the reason is refusal to do the least legal.
You have a right to sue them for that.
I would relax and hit certain parts of the hot iron.

Answer 18

Well , say no if u hv a lambo to sell , so tht u won't for starving

Answer 19

say no to such things .u have a unique talent ,shape it and one day u will have people to take u as there inspiration. Dnt try to be like some one else .it's not mandatory for u to become a coder to be a successful person .just shape what u have it might be something else but shapping u r own skill gives u real success. when u shape u r own skill u need not to get in worst situation in u r work place .u can just give a blow and proceed further.

Answer 20

If they threaten to fire or sue you just quit and find a new job. find the courage to say NO!