Is It Ethical?

Question

Coach Sharon Youngblood works as an athletic coach and recruiter for Florida State University. Athletic competitions and the recruitment of athletes require Sharon to do a great deal of traveling. The university reimburses Sharon for her travel expenses. Sharon joined a frequent flyer program and has been receiving credit for her business travels as an athletic coach. Soley because of the mileage accumulated from her business travels, Sharon will soon be eligible for a free trip anywhere in the continental United States. She very much wants to travel to Seattle, Washington, over her Christmas vacation to visit her parents. Sharon is considering using her free ticket for this personal trip but is not sure whether it would be ethical to do so.

What do you think? Should Sharon use her frequent flyer miles for the personal trip? Why or why not? If you were her employer, what would your position be?

Answer 1

I would consider it ethical.

Her employer had to pay for her travel whether she earned points or not -- and the extra effort to earn the points (registering, etc.) was effort she put in.

As long as she didn't cost the employer more by always choosing the same airline -- the employer didn't lose anything by her accumulating points -- and so, since she went the extra step, she should be allowed to get the benefit of that step.

Answer 2

I think it is okay to use the miles. She does not steal them from anyone, nobody suffers from her using the miles. If Sharon has the possibility to do something she enjoys her athletes will also profit from a relaxed coach.
I would be glad to see one of my employees having a nice time.

Answer 3

Any benefit that Sharon gets from the use of college (read taxpayer) funds are required by law to be turned over to the agency (college) for which she works.

Ethics are not involved here...it is a matter of law and if she uses the miles for her own personal benefit she can and should be charged with a misappropriation and theft of funds.