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PROGRAM D-8179

Frequently in the workplace we run into situations where we’re not sure what is the right thing for us to do. Here’s one such situation: A woman worked in a sales office where there was a rule that personal business was not to be conducted on company time or using company resources. She worked with a man who continually broke that rule and spent at least an hour each day on personal calls and taking care of outside business. She knew this was wrong but was it her responsibility to tell her supervisor, or should she keep quiet?

The question gets right to the core of a very common problem in American business today: employee theft. There is a staggering amount of stealing from employers among people who would never consider themselves thieves or dishonest. Certainly, Christians in the marketplace need to set the highest standards of integrity for their own lives in this regard.

Most employers understand that it is sometimes necessary for employees to make a quick personal call on company time. However, many violate those privileges and use company equipment and time for excessive personal purposes, which could and should be done after-hours and at their own expense.

In this situation, the company has established guidelines concerning this, and it is their responsibility to monitor it. Many times, management makes a rule and then fails to enforce it—or chooses to ignore it. However, it is the management’s job to enforce rules, so as long as this person does not report personally to you, it’s not your job to report their infraction of the rules. If you were directly asked, you would, of course, have to be honest.

Depending on your relationship with that co-worker, you might look for an appropriate opportunity to broach the subject with him. But otherwise, this is management’s job, not yours. Any action to right this wrong could be perceived as “tattling” on co-workers.