1. You supervise an intake worker for a DSHS office. He misrepresents himself as a social worker at a local nursing home to advocate for his friend he thinks is not getting proper care.

I understand this dilemma from several different points of view and because of this I am going to first lay out several questions. I believe these questions would have a significant effect on how I as a supervisor would handle this matter if I were the supervisor in charge.

Did this matter happen while this person was on the clock working for our agency?
Did this person use our agency�s I.D. badge or paper work in order to gain information about or services for his/her friend?
If the answers to the above questions is no, then it is my opinion that the person acted on personal time and although their actions were less than honest the situation had nothing to do with corporate policy there fore is unsuitable for punishment.

However, if the above questions result in a yes answer then the tables are turned and the situation becomes punishable. At this time, I would have to evaluate the employee�s records. How long has this employee been with the company? How does this employee normally handle ethical situations? How honest was this person when asked about the situation? Along with, how likely is the individual to do this again?

The reason for this is because this employee just broke about every NOSHE ethic code concerning a professional's responsibility to the practice, and employer that there is.... SO...

With all this in consideration, If the person had a relatively clean record I would probably write the person up (1st and only), and allow them to keep their job as long as they formally gave the nursing home a written apology, accepting responsibility for their actions. If they had a past record of ethical issues I would have to terminate employment and would report the individual to the Ethics committee.

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