Step $3$: Being Responsible with the Responsibilities Lens

Part $1$Act with Courage

Just to review...we've determined that you have the following duties owed your stakeholders in this problem:

Duty to honor employees' right to free expression, on their own time, even when they are critical of the company.

Duty to respect the privacy of others.

Duty to see that employees$$ concerns about the company are addressed.

Duty to ensure that privileged information about the company is not made public.

In addition to these duties, an ideal option for the Responsibilities Lens will be reversible. The reasons behind your action should be reasons you would willingly accept as ethical if you were on the other side of the decision.

Of the six options listed below, one of them is an ethically mature action using the criteria of the Responsibilities Lens, one is ethically acceptable, and one represents an ethically immature action. The other three options define ethical behavior through the perspective of the Results Lens, which we'll explore next.

Best Option: An ethically mature option is one where your reason for acting is consistent with your duties. In addition, the option should treat the other stakeholders with care and respect.

Good Option: A good ethical option is one where you meet your responsibilities to the stakeholders.

Poor Option: A poor ethical option is one where you think only of yourself.

I've made a list of what I think are the possible choices in this situation. Considering your duties to the stakeholders, choose the option that you think is the most ethical using the principles and values of the Responsibilities Lens.

Which option best fulfills your duties?

Option $1$

Fire Jamal Moore for his unsanctioned illegal activity. Use the information he provided to discipline Aaron Webb for violating the NDA, even though the information was obtained illegally, because you want to put a stop to Aaron's actions.

Option $2$

Discipline Jamal Moore for his unsanctioned illegal activity. Discipline Aaron Webb for violating the NDA. In order to minimize conflict, don't fire either employee.

Option $3$

Use the information from Jamal Moore as the basis of firing Aaron Webb for violating the NDA, because protecting the NDA is your most important duty.

Option $4$

Because the rules are clear, fire Jamal Moore for his unsanctioned illegal activity, and fire Aaron Webb for violating the NDA.

Option $5$

Use the information from Jamal Moore to discipline Aaron Webb for violating the NDA. Caution Jamal Moore about his unsanctioned illegal activity. Coaching the employees instead of firing them will help the company in the long term.

Option $6$

Do not use the information provided by Jamal Moore. In order to maintain the status quo, do not do anything about the illegal hacking activity.