Moral Question?

Question

Let's say you're an employer, and you find out that one of your employees is a drugger. This drugger is only working to afford his drugs.
1-Would you feel guilty or responsible at least? Because you're indirectly funding his drug addiction.
2-Would you fire him?

Answer 1

No and yes

Answer 2

2-Would you fire him?

Is the employee doing his or her job satisfactorily?
Does my company have a 0 tolerance policy on drugs?
Do I have legal/just cause to fire the employee?

1-Would you feel guilty or responsible at least? Because you're indirectly funding his drug addiction.

What an employee chooses to do with his or her money is not the employers business..


If the employee is doing his or her job exactly as ouitlined in the employment contract, no I would not fire them.. What he or she does with his or her money is none of my business.. I would talk with them about thier drug use and offer assistance in finding drug treatment and hold thier job for them to resume after treatment if they chose that option. But ultimately if the employee is doing thier job as contracted and chooses not to seek treatment that is thier choice..

No I would not feel responsible for thier addiction because the money they earned working for me is what they used to pay for drugs..

In this example you have the employee buying drugs, what if they were donating money to a political group you disagreed with, buying pornography and sex toys, hiring prostitutes, or purchasing anything else you disagree with... Drugs are no different than any other thing just because an employer disagrees with the purchase doesn't mean the employer has legal recourse to fire or in any other way reprimand the employee unless the employment contract is breeched..

Answer 3

1- i would feel no more guilty about that than i would about employing someone who just can't manage their money. what my employees do with the money they earned is their business. as an employer, i AM NOT responsible in any way for the actions and/or behavior of my employees outside of the workplace.

2- i would give him a ''random'' drug test, and when he failed, i would fire him, unless he offered to go through rehabilitation (self-rehab or institutional rehab- doesn't matter which) and showed me on a later, unspecified date, and (thereafter periodically) that he can stay away from drugs. if he failed again within the next two years, he's done. i cannot allow liabilities, and i cannot jeapordize the safety of my other employees, nor my profits, nor my equipment, etc, etc.

note- i'm not an employer... just speaking as i would if i were.

Answer 4

It's my responsibility to see that my employees are disciplined and hard working. I wouldn't want anyone doing something wrong which could jeopardize his life and the company's. If I found out that my employee takes drug first I would discuss with him the problems he is facing and try to solve it. I would also refer him to a good psychiatrist if he agrees. I wouldn't fire him. There is always some reason why people get indulged to drugs and there is always a way to solve it. One needs to understand the problem and make a firm will to overcome it.

Answer 5

1. Most druggies don't really have a good work ethic-lots of absences, ect. Also, he might come to work high.

2. Why would I feel guilty? I write his paycheck for the work he does. I don't tell him to go out and buy drugs with it.

3. I think I would have grounds to fire him. If his drug habit was that bad it would certainly be affecting his quality of work. Unless he took an offer of rehab or counseling and agreed to a periodic drug test.

Answer 6

I wouldn't feel guilty. If he was a good employee I would try to get him help. If he was doing a job where he put himself or others at risk I would have to fire him though. If his Job included a lot of responsibility or involved finances I would fire him. I might feel bad about it, but when you hold a position that involves decisions, your responsibility is to all the shareholders (employees, families or employees, investers, customers) in the company. You can't put personal feelings above the interests of all involved.

Answer 7

If you and the person want to continue their employment, you might offer them counseling and intervention. Now that you know, you would be considered "enabling" their addiction by turning a "blind eye" to it. If they refuse the help you would have no choice but to fire them... just on the matter of safety and concern for them and other employees.

Answer 8

difficult situation heh?

If I am you, I would also feel responsible. so, i will suggest that you tell him that you know about this habit of his and that you are concerned. Offer some help in one or the other form. If he accepts, assist him or her all the way.

Unfortunately we cannot make the decision for him. He either quits beacuse he wants to, or he stays on drugs by his own free will. Therefor i do not think it would be fair to dismiss him because of that, as it is his own personal choice to waste his life away.
But do speak and tell him thst you are willing to help him to find ways to break his ugly habit. U
If his work then suffers because of this, then you have the right to sack him.

Answer 9

I'm not indirectly funding him he was employed because of the skills of being able to do the job. Personal business is just that personal.

I would recommend rehabilitation if he ignored it and let his work performance go down hill. Then wouldn't leave me with much choice would it?

Answer 10

I can't even see were the moral issue is. Fireing someone becuae they use drugs, assuming it doesn't impact your bussiness is like fireing them becuase they have red hair. It is not a moral issue.
Are you concerned about covering your a$$, that is a leagal issue not a moral one. Are you concerned thay paying them will help them "destory" themselves? You are not their mother and most of the porpaganda you here about drugs is lies.
Don't fire them unless they harm the bussiness or subject you to liablity and stop worrying about how others lead their lives.

Answer 11

I would feel guilty and responsible that I was fuelling his addiction.

I wouldn't fire him, but instead try to speak to him and get him some help through recommending rehabilitation.