How loyal are you to your employer?

[ryan256]

Well... here's a messed up situation a guy I know is in. We'll call him Jeff.

Jeff's company moves to a new office and they need it wired for network connectivity. So Jeff recommends a friend of his (we'll just call him Tech) to his boss (and we'll call him Boss) who does cabling work. Tech comes over and after talking with Boss is hired and does the job.
2 weeks pass and Tech suddenly gets a call from Boss. Boss says the network isn't working anymore and to come take a look at it. Tech comes over to see what the problem is and discovers the cables have been chewed by some sort of rodent.
Boss says fix it. Tech says he can do that but there will be a charge since the cables were chewed. Boss says he should fix it for free since the cables only worked for 2 weeks. They argue and back & forth a bit. In the end tech fixes the cables and leaves Boss with a bill.
2 months later Boss still hasn't payed Jeff's friend Tech. Now Tech has taken Boss to small claims court. Apparently Boss is trying to say the original work was defective and he shouldn't have to pay for repairs. Boss has told Jeff to lie on an affidavit and say the cabling never worked to begin with. Boss has also hinted that if Jeff refuses he should get his resume in order.

If you were Jeff...

what would you do?


Me?? I'd get a digital voice recorder with a hidden mic and go talk to Boss try to record him threatening me. I would then look for another job and use my recording to negotiate a very generous severance package. I would also hate the idea of betraying a friend.

 

[Beev]

Your way sounds good.

 

[jandrews]

hah, i would never lie under oath for a boss, any boss I could think of. I would barely think of lying under oath for most of my family in many circumstances.

 

[Tiamat]

I'm more loyal to my ethics than I am to an employer. I would change jobs immediately if threatened like that.

 

[sjwaste]

I'm somewhere between the last two choices. I wouldn't sign anything, but I wouldn't flat out refuse. I like to think my people skills are good enough to convince the guy to pay the bill and get an exterminator in there for whatever chewed the cabling. I would also begin getting my resume in order asap, as I would begin looking for a new job. I wouldn't quit on the spot, though, that would be financially irresponsible for me.

 

[Vonkhan]

No way I'd lie

 

[intogamer]

Sounds like an anal boss if he thinks that way.

Plus could be double screwing ya self if you lie.

 

[Epic Fail]

Be care about recording it without consent and trying to blackmail the boss, you will be at fault too.

 

[IceBergSLiM]

it all comes down to whats in it for me?

 

[orton]

When starting the affidavit, stat I was asked by so and so my boss to lie. Then go have sex with his wife, that will teach him.

 

[Bateluer]

I'd deliver my 2 week notice then tell the truth on the form.

 

[Xavier434]

There are many more things in life that are more important than money or a job.

First, I would not lie. Friendship and my loyalty to that friendship is much more important to me in this case and just about any case that I can think of. Not to mention that Boss has proven that he has absolutely no respect for my loyalty towards my friends. If he is willing to go that far, then I wonder what else he doesn't care about?

Second, I would start looking for another job right away. There is no way I would stay at that job because of the question I asked in the first part.

Third, I would use as many delay tactics as possible to give myself as much time as possible to get that new job.

Fourth, I would not record my boss without him knowing that I was recording him since recording what someone says purposefully and without them knowing about the recording is illegal to my knowledge.

 

[Golgatha]

Originally posted by: intogamer
Sounds like an anal boss if he thinks that way.

Plus could be double screwing ya self if you lie.

Yeah, you could end up out of work and with criminal charges. Not to mention you can look at yourself in the mirror the next day even if you are unemployed.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: IcebergSlim
it all comes down to whats in it for me?

Did you bother to read the OP? He detailed it pretty well.




No way in hell I'd do what his boss is asking him to do.

The boss should deal with the building owner since it is the building owner's responsibility to keep rodents out.

 

[Gooberlx2]

Depending on the state, the recording could be illegal. If not, then by all means...

Personally, I certainly wouldn't lie because not only is it unethical and a betrayal to your friend, but if it's proven some other way that the network worked, then there could be some serious ramifications coming to you for false affidavit perjury. I certainly wouldn't want to work at a place like that.

 

[IceBergSLiM]

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: IcebergSlim
it all comes down to whats in it for me?

Did you bother to read the OP? He detailed it pretty well.

Well then he shouldn't need our help in deciding.

 

[HannibalX]

It would depend on what was in it for me honestly.

I can't lie to you here and say I wouldn't consider it if something substantial was thrown my way.

 

[ryan256]

Originally posted by: IcebergSlim

Well then he shouldn't need our help in deciding.

Oh I've already decided. I'm hoping Jeff does the right thing as well. I know with a mortgage and 2 kids Jeff has alot of responsibilities. I'm just hoping his circumstances don't lead him to make a bad choice.

Originally posted by: Gooberlx2
Personally, I certainly wouldn't lie because not only is it unethical and a betrayal to your friend, but if it's proven some other way that the network worked, then there could be some serious ramifications coming to you for false affidavit perjury. I certainly wouldn't want to work at a place like that.

This is the other reason I would not sign. An affidavit is basically the same as sworn in court testimony and if falsified can carry criminal charges.

 

[HannibalX]

Originally posted by: ryan256

Originally posted by: IcebergSlim

Well then he shouldn't need our help in deciding.

Oh I've already decided. I'm hoping Jeff does the right thing as well. I know with a mortgage and 2 kids Jeff has alot of responsibilities. I'm just hoping his circumstances don't lead him to make a bad choice.

Originally posted by: Gooberlx2
Personally, I certainly wouldn't lie because not only is it unethical and a betrayal to your friend, but if it's proven some other way that the network worked, then there could be some serious ramifications coming to you for false affidavit perjury. I certainly wouldn't want to work at a place like that.

This is the other reason I would not sign. An affidavit is basically the same as sworn in court testimony and if falsified can carry criminal charges.

Yup. Judges generally look down on perjury.

 

[IceBergSLiM]

so if my boss was threatening to fire me if I don't commit perjury I would set him up and sue the pants off him and the company. Unless of course there was something substantial to gain and he hasn't offered anything substantial.

 

[Xavier434]

Originally posted by: Pale Rider
It would depend on what was in it for me honestly.

I can't lie to you here and say I wouldn't consider it if something substantial was thrown my way.

So basically what you are saying is that your loyalty towards your friends has a price tag attached to it. I would like to get 10 million dollars as much as everyone else here but money should not rule everything you know. It already controls our lives enough as it is. I am curious as to where you draw the line with it's control over your life?

 

[Casawi]

That is really bad, wtf is wrong with people.
There are classes called professional development that should be thought to E for everyone.

 

[HannibalX]

Originally posted by: Xavier434

Originally posted by: Pale Rider
It would depend on what was in it for me honestly.

I can't lie to you here and say I wouldn't consider it if something substantial was thrown my way.

So basically what you are saying is that your loyalty towards your friends has a price tag attached to it. I would like to get 10 million dollars as much as everyone else here but money should not rule everything you know. It already controls our lives enough as it is. I am curious as to where you draw the line with it's control over your life?

No, my friend's trust isn't for sale. I would have never recomended him to do work at my place of business in order to avoid any conflict of interest that may occur.

Money isn't everything, I agree. People say that money can't make you happy - well poverty can't make you happy either, so you might as well have the money.

 

[MrDudeMan]

I'd lie to Boss and tell him I would lie, but really be looking for another job. The only reason I would lie to boss is to give me more time to find a different job. I would then dig up documents with timestamps and prove that file transfers and email were working after said fix up until 2 weeks later to prove that the network indeed worked at some point. I would help friend in any way possible and probably even record Boss talking about firing me if it was legal in my state. If it wasn't legal, then I would tell him I'm tape recording the conversation and get him to admit to it somehow. If fired, I would sue for wrongful termination and out Boss if possible in court. He already lost credibility from Tech, so maybe it would work.

 

[Spook]

It sucks, but there is another way to keep your friend, AND job.... Just pay your friend what your boss owes. Its stupid, but you brought this conflict of interest on yourself. Others have a good point, that a friends loyalty is more important than a boss/Job. And your boss putting you into this position in the first place is a bad sign.

Anyway just an idea.