Priscilla Dickman worked as a medical technologist at the University of Connecti

Question

Priscilla Dickman worked as a medical technologist at the University of Connecticut Health Center. Dickman's supervisor received complaints that she was getting non-business-related phone calls and was absent from her work area when she should have been working. Based on e-mails and other documents found on Dickman's work computer, the state investigated her for violations of state law. She was convicted of conducting "personal business for financial gain on state time utilizing state resources." Separate criminal investigations resulted in convictions forgery and ling an unrelated fraudulent insurance claim. She "retired" from her job and led a claim with the state of Connecticut against the health center, alleging that her former employer had initiated the investigations to harass her and force her to quit. For lack of "credible evidence or legal support," the claim was dismissed. Which of these acts, if any, were unethical? Why?

Explanation / Answer

Priscilla Dickman, in this case, is convicted of establishing her own work using state resources for financial gains and the state has found some e-mails and other documents on her work computer which indicates the same. But what she claims is that the employer is harassing her so that she quits. This may be the case and the employer may have forged records and may have set up the e-mail thing against her as that is very easily possible if the employer wants to frame her. If Priscilla Dickman can find evidence which proves that her employer is framing her then her employer is the one who is unethical, but if she cannot find evidence to prove her innocence then she would be proven guilty and unethical in the above scenario.

Priscilla Dickman is unethical because she is getting paid to work for the state and the time in which she should be working for the state, she is working for her own financial gains and that too using the resources of the state. Ethically she should be working for the state when on the job and if she wants to establish her own business then she should be doing it after the job hours.

If she is innocent and her employer is framing her then he is unethical because if he doesn't want to retain her on the job, he should terminate her in the proper procedure. If he framing her just to get her out of job or for personal enmity then he is unethical because this action of his will lead to action against her and difficulty in getting a decent job.

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