Dan arrived at work on Monday morning, ready and excited to kick off a great workweek. His boss called him into his office and asked him to exclude an applicant that had applied for an opening in the practice. The reason was: “he’s too old and probably couldn’t keep up with this type of work anyway.” Dan knew it was illegal to exclude this applicant based on age but he didn’t know what to do. Obviously it was his boss asking and Dan didn’t want to get in trouble.
There are times when we are faced with situations that are illegal, immoral or just make us uncomfortable. When those situations occur at work, we have the tough choice of figuring out what we should do and how we can do the right thing without compromising our ethics or our jobs. The example with Dan was obviously illegal but there are other situations we may find ourselves in that might be legal but not ethical. Many of us have experienced times in our practice where cash flow is limited. When that happens, we are faced with choices such as deciding which vendors to pay or whether to suffer a penalty for not making a tax payment on time. More than half of veterinary practices in the country are still privately owned and there are times that practice owners might want to use business funds to pay for their personal expenses. Other examples might include being asked to lie to a client about what really happened with their pet while in your care or your practice owner asking you skim cash off the deposit.
Unfortunately situations like these are more common than we would like them to be. And it is likely at some point in your career you will be faced with a request that is morally or legally questionable. You may not be the one causing the problem but it is your responsibility to manage the situation as ethically as possible. Practice owners rely on us to help them run successful businesses and may not have the resources or insight that we do. As managers, we are called upon to control and administer the business side of our practice in the best way we know how and sometimes the choices associated with that are difficult.
So what should you do if you encounter a situation that is illegal or morally uncomfortable? Start by thinking things through. Look at the situation from every aspect and consider all possible courses of actions and outcomes. If for example you are faced with a situation that could compromise the integrity of the practice such as choosing between making employee retirement contributions or paying a vendor, communicate with your practice owner. Be sure they understand the financial situation the practice faces. The practice owner will ultimately decide what he or she wants to do. If the choice is illegal or unethical, that is where you will find yourself faced with the challenge of carrying out their wishes or going against what they want. If that happens, consider finding a confidant or colleague with wisdom who is not close to the situation. Ask for their input or past experiences but rely on your own instincts and moral convictions. Have an open dialogue with your boss and discuss the situation to see if you can iron out a course of action that works for everyone. If not, be as transparent as possible. Ask for any questionable directive to be put in writing and communicate any concerns you have in writing as well. Email makes this easy for us so use technology to protect yourself when necessary. That way if the outcome is negative, you will have proof that the request came from the top.
Dealing with unethical or illegal situations isn’t fun or easy. It is our job to make these situations as manageable as possible – for us and our practice owners. In the end, you are responsible for your actions, illegal and/or unethical, even if you have little control over the situation or were instructed by your practice owner to do something that falls outside your comfort zone. If someone else puts you in a compromising situation, that does not absolve you from liability. Think long and hard about the actions you take and above all, trust your instincts, do your research and find a solution that works in the best interest of you and your practice.