a little note for labor day -- Abuse of sick days among problems found in survey of workplace ethics

Abuse of sick days among problems found in survey of workplace ethics

By DIANE STAFFORD

The Kansas City Star

Thu, Aug. 30, 2007 10:55 AM

Heading into the weekend that annually celebrates working folk, it’s somewhat alarming to note that many American workers see a lack of work-related ethics.

In a new report, the Ethics Resource Center says it surveyed 3,452 employees in public, private and nonprofit organizations around the country and found sizable abuses of sick days.

More than one-third of those questioned by Opinion Research Corp. said they knew of co-workers who called in sick when they weren’t. The abuses were particularly noticed in municipal government jobs — more so than in state, federal, nonprofit, publicly traded, or privately held companies.

More than one-fourth of the respondents said they had watched colleagues take credit for others’ achievements. That limelight-grabbing behavior was seen most often in the federal workforce. Least often? In the nonprofit sector.

Patricia Harned, president of the Washington, D.C.-based ethics organization, called the unethical behavior percentages “substantial.”

“Clearly, while Enron and other scandals have focused attention on the ethics of management, we also need to emphasize the need for more ethical behavior all the way down to the office cubicles and shop floor,” she said.

To be fair, abuse of sick day policies could be considered in context with the employee benefit plan that’s in place.

Abuse of a generous paid time off plan might be viewed more harshly than “calling in sick” to an employer that offers no paid time off benefits. Sometimes, the reality is that personal and family needs conflict with work duties.

There may be less squish factor, though, in trying to justify taking credit for someone else’s work, no matter where one works.

The nonprofit ethics center suggests that organizations consider having an ethics resource officer who can help set and evaluate behavior guidelines.

To reach Diane Stafford, call 816-234-4359 or send e-mail to stafford@kcstar.com.