Ethical Dilemma
MGMT 3880D Business Ethics and Social Responsibility
February 7, 2013 Peter Jay Sorenson

An ethical dilemma that I have in my life is workplace disputes. It is quite hard working with African American females. I started at ART in 2010, and was working as a Benefit Clerk. In this position, I was responsible for handling all of the data entry for college students who were 18 to 26. This is when President Obama put in effect the new insurance policy that stated if your children are in school or college, they can stay on your insurance until the age of 26. We also needed verification of their attendant. If the custodian parent could not produce this information, the student will be taken off of their insurance. Once we received this information, they will be covered again, but this process of verification is repeated every year. One day, a young man brought his information into me and stated that his daughter was 26 years of age and she is attending a college in Houston, TX. When we look at the information and the transcript, everything has to be certified, notary and have the raise seal on it. So this young man became very upset with me because I ask for the original birth certificate, he stated that this was his child and she need to be on his insurance since she was in school. I call my immediate supervisor over and explained everything to her. She (Denise) asked the young man if this was his child, and if so, he could get the original birth certificate for the record building downtown. The young man left and I was call into the office. The Vice President (Linda) stated that the situation could have been handled much well than it was. I asked in what way this was supposed to happen, when I thought I was doing everything right. When the conversation escalated the point that I did not check the entire document properly, she placed me on ADL (Administrative Leave) for two days. My supervisor did not back me up, because I stated that there was not a seal on this certificate and if I would have let it go through, then I will be the one blames, in this case I was. Then a new position came opened and I moved to the next department. This department is Transportation, where I worked under a lady by the name of Sharon, she became my boss. In this department I am consider as a floater. I travel from one division to the next covering for the assistant’s secretaries. My boss is the type that likes to micro-manage. She would call over to the division to see if I made it there on time and if the work was getting done in a timely manner. I confronted her on this, asking if you did not think I could do the work, why you are sending me to the divisions. She stated that at one of the division, I was surfing the internet and not preforming. This is where Jerry, Carol and Nicole come into play. This department is Transit Ops. It is a lot of animosity between Nicole and me, based on the fact that I came in at 7 and left at 4. This time was offer to each assistant before I arrive to work. At that point, no one wanted it. She started going to Jerry and Carol staying that I did not complete the assignment that was given to me and that I was surfing the internet, buying shoes and stuff. This escalated over to Tim and Keisha. I was interviewing for another position and had to go to each one of them and state my side of the story before I could have an interview. Tim and Keisha are on the interview panel. My interview was the next day, I spoke clearly and precise. The question was brought up about the internet, I told the panel that the assignment that I was given required research to be done. The internet was that sources for me. I was not surfing the internet and shopping for shoe. Now, I have a new position away from the situation that every time you try to do the right thing, someone is in the background trying to sabotage your effort. In the long run, it turned out good for me; I am now in the Northwest Division, where there is a mixture of diversity.

“On my honor, I have not given, nor received, nor witnessed any unauthorized assistance that violates the UNTD Academic Integrity Policy.”