Applying an analysis of ethical decision making, examine the following fact pattern and help decide what the employee should do. [Recall and use the steps we used in class: 1. gather RELEVANT facts; 2. consider conflicting values; 3. what could you do; and 4. what should you do and why is that the best solution at present]. Organize your answer in this fashion, also, using columns as we did in class, and then providing an explanation of why you chose the solution you did. ]
FACTS: Jessica has just received her degree in Business Management from a prestigious university in the Midwest. She has been hired by a well-known consulting firm to work as an aide to one of the top consultants, Jeb Wiley. She is receiving an excellent salary, with great chances for advancement. During orientation, she thinks she notices that Mr. Wiley seems to be taking a little too much personal interest in her. He asks her to call him by his first name, he makes comments about her appearance and dress, he invites her for drinks after work, he tells her raunchy jokes about a prominent politician, and goes out his way to bump into her in the library or at the lunchroom. She does everything short of being rude to discourage him, since she doesn’t want to risk losing her job or cause any problems at the firm which might jeopardize her future. One night, he calls her at home, and indicates that he wants their relationship to become something much more personal. He tells her that if she will do so, he can guarantee a raise and a possible track to partner. She screams that this must stop and hangs up on him. The next day, exhausted and confused, she decides to tell the partner who hired her about what has been happening. She thinks she will find a sympathetic ear, but instead the partner tells her that Jeb is like that with everyone and all the other women ignore it. She is told she should take this as a compliment.
Thoroughly confused, Jessica asks herself, “What should I do?”