Why Was the Board of Directors Asleep at the Wheel? McDonald’s is suing its former CEO, Steve Easterbrook, after an investigation found he had a short-term, consensual relationship with an employee over text and video. It also found three additional relationships with employees that were sexual in nature, including the one that triggered the July […]
The Lessons to Be Learned from McDonald’s CEO’s Sexual Harassment Read More »
Actions Constitute an Act Discreditable to the Profession On May 18, 2020, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced settled charges against three former KPMG LLP audit partners for improperly sharing answers to internal training exams. The exams were administered to determine whether its audit professionals understood certain accounting and auditing principles that are essential
KPMG Sanctioned by the SEC for “Stealing the Exam” Read More »
Recent Examples of Corporate Ethics Failures Big corporations are failing America because they continue to place profits ahead of responsible behavior. Many use a cost-benefit analysis to conclude that it would cost too much to fix product defects compared to any benefits derived. Until recently, few if any corporate CEOs have been held liable for
Big Corporations Place Profits Ahead of Safety Read More »
Playing the Game I first blogged about office politics this past February. Today’s blog repeats some of that information and adds new perspectives. Office politics affects virtually everyone in the workplace, so it is important to understand the scope of behaviors and best ways to deal with the challenges of working in a political environment
Ethical Considerations of Office Politics Read More »
Managing Employee Behavior Online A version of this blog was first posted on October 16, 2012. Online social media applications are quickly gaining the mindshare of company employees and changing just as rapidly. With all the benefits that social media is bringing to the corporate world, a company faces numerous risks in its use, from
Social Media Ethics in the Workplace Read More »
I receive lots of emails from readers of my ethics blogs who look for advice on workplace issues. Workplace ethics are the ethical principles that guide a person’s behaviors and decisions in the workplace. These principles are no different than those in our personal lives; it’s just the context that differs. You can read my blog
Is it Ever OK to Do Personal Things on Company Time? Ethics in the Workplace Read More »
The Message: Don’t Do the Crime Unless You Want to be Rewarded I’ve blogged many times before about whistleblowing, including whether it is an ethical action. Some would say that whistleblowing is a courageous act to right a wrong, and because the whistleblower may be discriminated against for coming forward, and/or suffer the penalty of
Whistleblower Involved in Fraud Receives an Award from the SEC Read More »
Elder Fraud is a Growing Problem There are countless seniors today who play a vital role in the workforce. Unfortunately, there are many aging myths out there that suggest seniors are unable to work as well, as hard or as often as younger adults. These myths are not only completely false, but they can sometimes
What Every Senior Needs to Know About Their Rights in the Workplace Read More »
Weighing Alternative Courses of Action I’m frequently asked whether it is ethical to take credit for the work done by a co-worker. The purpose of this blog is to share my knowledge on the issue and provide food for ‘ethical thought.’ It is based on the following case study. Assume you have worked for an
Is it Ethical to Take Credit for Someone Else’s Work? Read More »
Here’s Why Dodd-Frank Worker Retaliation Protections Have Been Turned on Their Head Thinking about blowing the whistle on wrongdoing at your organization? Well, you need to read on because the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on February 21, 2018, in the case Digital Realty Trust, Inc. v. Somers changes the rules of the game. Employees who
Unintended Consequences of Supreme Court Whistleblowing Decision Read More »