Ethics and Compromise

Step 1: Case Scenario

Read the following case first; then proceed to the next steps.

Thomas is a new addition to your company. He is an excellent worker and has been named employee of the month four times, and just this past week he was named employee of the year. Thomas is up for his first yearly evaluation; and as part of the process, the human resources department reviews his employment file. Upon reviewing Thomas’ file it comes to light that he was not completely truthful on his resume. The inconsistency does not involve his work history or the training he has to make him qualified to do his job. What the human resources department discovers is that Thomas claims some educational success that is untrue. The policy of the company is “Any employee that has been found to make false or misleading statements to the company during the hiring process in order to obtain a position within the company shall be terminated.”

Step 2: Reflection Part

Think about the following:

• If you are in charge of Human Resources for this company, what would you do?


• Does it matter if you know Thomas personally?

After you have thought through your position on this scenario, apply your thinking to this week’s philosophers and complete Step 3 - the writing part of this assignment.

Step 3: Writing Part

In 2-3 pages, explain how Aristotle and the religious philosophers (Augustine and Aquinas) would respond to this case if they were confronted with this situation. How might they apply fairness and compromise to illustrate their philosophy? Support your analysis with quotes or paraphrases from the philosophers. Use APA format and citation when writing your assignment.