January 1999
As county finance director, you
are contacted by a bank official who is also a social acquaintance. The banker
indicates that he is calling "off the record" to ask about Fred, one of your
assistant directors whose work you regard as exemplary. Your friend's concern is
about an elderly depositor who has written more than 150 checks of over $1,000
each to Fred's wife--totaling over $500,000--within a four year period. He
further relates to you that in contacting this customer, the banker could only
ascertain that this gentleman (in his 90's) lives next door to Fred--the
conversation was otherwise confused and incoherent. Concerned about your privacy
obligations to your employee, you reveal little to your friend other than that
Fred is an assistant director in your agency.
After much thought, you decide to tell Fred about the banker's inquiry. In
response, Fred explains how his wife has "cared for" this neighbor (who has no
living relatives) by accompanying him to numerous physician's appointments,
ordering him clothes from catalogs, and hiring someone to paint his house.
Growing increasingly indignant, Fred emphasizes the neighbor's frequent desires
to "do something special" for him and his wife. Finally Fred explodes, "You may
be my boss, but this discussion is completely off-base. How we deal with our
neighbors is a purely private matter. This is an invasion of my privacy!" He
then walks out.
• Did you err in discussing the matter with Fred in the first place?
• Is this a "purely private matter" outside your purview? -(If "no" to either) How do you proceed from here?
--submitted by Richard Ghere (ghere@riker.stjoe.udayton.edu)