Post a blog entry addressing what you think about the following ethical dilemma. Also, respond with a comment to your partners blog post.
You are head of public relations for a regional set of merchandise outlets. When you took your job, you took an oath as head of PR to be loyal to the company and not to release or to relay to anyone else including family any information that top level management says you cannot.
With the recession, the company is planning to shutdown two of its outlets in two months. You are told that under no circumstance are you to release or relay this information until management constructs, with your assistance, an official announcement that will be made one week before closings. Your own job is in no danger since the company is just down-sizing outlets.
Your brother and sister-in-law are low-level employees at one of these outlets. They will lose their jobs when the outlet closes.
In your blog post, consider whether or not you should tell your brother and sister-in-law prior to the official announcement. What type of ethical dilemma is this? How do you justify your decision?
Would you hire a director of PR that you knew had made a leak like this one?
Assume your brother and sister-in-law both quickly find new jobs and resign before the announcement is made. Assume top management is suspicious that you have leaked information. Assume that you did leak info to your brother and sister-in-law. If the CEO asks you if you did, how would you answer?