March 6, 2013
by Jason R. Raines
Umm, Yeah. I’m gonna need you to come in on Saturday.
Image via funnyjunk.com
We have all heard stories about the evil boss, who expects too much of the employees. While most people can tell stories of working weekends, mandatory overtime, or giving up planned time off, these are simply everyday inconveniences. What do you do when your boss asks too much of you?
Some readers may not like open ended questions that I do not have the answers for. If you are turned off by speculative questions about the nature of life, stop here. If your curiosity is up, then read on…
What if your boss asks you to do something against company policy? This might be tough if the boss is the one who makes the policy. What if your boss asks you to do something unethical? This can be tougher, because different people have different values that drive them, although I never will suggest anyone violate their personal principles.
What if your boss asks you to do something you know is illegal? What if you are asked to hire someone that is not legally authorized to work in the United States? The fact that millions of people are employed with lack of proper documentation does not make it legal. Are some laws more important than others?
Yes, some laws are more important than others. For this reason, our justice system dispenses punishment differently, depending on the nature of the illegal activity. Thousands of companies and millions of people willfully violate labor laws each day, and are willing to risk the legal consequences for the potential gain of profits and/or increased wages.
Are some labor laws more important than others? What if your boss asks you to adjust the “hours worked” on an employee’s payroll in order to reduce or eliminate overtime? Would you risk your own livelihood by opposing this? Sadly, many people in this position do not have the moral courage or conviction to do so. Class action lawsuits both nationally, and in our local area, testify to the fact that too many workers get cheated on their paychecks by unethical and illegal business practices.
What if your boss manipulates payroll accounts to reduce the company’s tax liability? What if they simply pay employees “under the table?” Does that make it okay?
What if programs such as Social Security and Medicare are threatened because too many people are dodging the payroll taxes that support them? Is it still okay?
A Line Almost No One Will Cross
What if your boss asks you to murder someone? What if they are willing to pay a hefty fee for the “job?”
That is what allegedly happened in Union Gap recently. It is being reported that a manager of a business in our county offered to pay money to a coworker in order to kill his wife. The coworker refused to be the trigger man, but according to news reports, was willing to help dispose of the murder weapon.
Killing another person is a clear moral boundary for most people, and we thankfully don’t need to worry about this being repeated millions of times across the country. The murder suspect also is being accused of having an affair, and this may be a part of his decision to murder his wife.
Don’t get me started on how many people cheat on their spouses; let’s just say I’m against the idea, and leave it at that. The fact that this happens frequently in our society says something about where we draw our collective values from (or don’t).
Values Being Taught To Kids
One set of “rules” that is trendy in many of our nation’s schools is boiled down to three simple things:
- Make Good Decisions
- Solve Problems
- Be Respectful
Is it a good decision to violate the law? While it may solve problems for some, does it cause problems for others? Is it being “respectful” to help your boss break the law?
What if it is your job on the line? What will you be willing to do, and how will you respond?
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