Is it ethical for employers to try to sway voters?

Some employees have been "threatened" that jobs may be lost if Obama wins.
Apparently it's legal, but is it ethical?
I'm just curious how others perceive this.

nadalfan wrote:Some employees have been "threatened" that jobs may be lost if Obama wins.
Apparently it's legal, but is it ethical?
I'm just curious how others perceive this.

Of course it's unethical. It's not like it's never happened before, though. It's a good argument for keeping one's political beliefs to oneself in the workplace.

nadalfan wrote:Some employees have been "threatened" that jobs may be lost if Obama wins.
Apparently it's legal, but is it ethical?
I'm just curious how others perceive this.

Only if it's a reality and statement of fact such as the costs of Obamacare or increased taxes will force them to lay off.

Then, I think it's fair to let them know they might be personally affected.

That, I would not consider a threat, and the vote is still private.

Labor Unions do likewise.

nadalfan wrote:Some employees have been "threatened" that jobs may be lost if Obama wins.
Apparently it's legal, but is it ethical?
I'm just curious how others perceive this.

I always avoid talking politics at work. Depending how this was delivered, it borders harrassment.

but I always joked privatly that when the lay offs start happening from obama care and they have, the easiest way to determine who goes is to go in the parking lot and find all the obama stickers, since they voted for it.

stormwatch89 wrote:

nadalfan wrote:Some employees have been "threatened" that jobs may be lost if Obama wins.
Apparently it's legal, but is it ethical?
I'm just curious how others perceive this.

Only if it's a reality and statement of fact such as the costs of Obamacare or increased taxes will force them to lay off.

Then, I think it's fair to let them know they might be personally affected.

That, I would not consider a threat, and the vote is still private.

Labor Unions do likewise.

Labor unions don't write paychecks, nor do they have the ability to hire and fire.

For an employer to issue threats of layoffs, etc., based on the outcome of an election violates the spirit of our Constitution, but then what doesn't these days? I have never seen a candidate for the presidency who so consistently lied and/or changed positions. It's right in front of your noses, and it reeks. Other than the Bushes, the closest I can remember coming to this low point in our history is when Nixon lied about getting out of Vietnam, which is probably the only way he was elected.

Floridatexan wrote:

stormwatch89 wrote:

nadalfan wrote:Some employees have been "threatened" that jobs may be lost if Obama wins.
Apparently it's legal, but is it ethical?
I'm just curious how others perceive this.

Only if it's a reality and statement of fact such as the costs of Obamacare or increased taxes will force them to lay off.

Then, I think it's fair to let them know they might be personally affected.

That, I would not consider a threat, and the vote is still private.

Labor Unions do likewise.

Labor unions don't write paychecks, nor do they have the ability to hire and fire.

For an employer to issue threats of layoffs, etc., based on the outcome of an election violates the spirit of our Constitution, but then what doesn't these days? I have never seen a candidate for the presidency who so consistently lied and/or changed positions. It's right in front of your noses, and it reeks. Other than the Bushes, the closest I can remember coming to this low point in our history is when Nixon lied about getting out of Vietnam, which is probably the only way he was elected.

That's how I feel; it's inherently wrong, but sadly, legal.

And I agree with what Rogue said: "Depending how this was delivered, it borders harrassment."

Good point about the labor unions.

nadalfan wrote:

Floridatexan wrote:

stormwatch89 wrote:

nadalfan wrote:Some employees have been "threatened" that jobs may be lost if Obama wins.
Apparently it's legal, but is it ethical?
I'm just curious how others perceive this.

Only if it's a reality and statement of fact such as the costs of Obamacare or increased taxes will force them to lay off.

Then, I think it's fair to let them know they might be personally affected.

That, I would not consider a threat, and the vote is still private.

Labor Unions do likewise.

Labor unions don't write paychecks, nor do they have the ability to hire and fire.

For an employer to issue threats of layoffs, etc., based on the outcome of an election violates the spirit of our Constitution, but then what doesn't these days? I have never seen a candidate for the presidency who so consistently lied and/or changed positions. It's right in front of your noses, and it reeks. Other than the Bushes, the closest I can remember coming to this low point in our history is when Nixon lied about getting out of Vietnam, which is probably the only way he was elected.

That's how I feel; it's inherently wrong, but sadly, legal.

And I agree with what Rogue said: "Depending how this was delivered, it borders harrassment."

Good point about the labor unions.

a lot of us feel that way about killing babies. its all about morals and ethics.

I could expand on how you could and couldnt deliver such a message without going into the legality of harassment. But it would be pointless and I probaly would just get called dumbass or something.

Eight basic management tools that I tried to adhere to. Note: the first one.


Provide the big picture: Where is the company going? What are current challenges that top management is trying to address? How does the employee’s contribution fit in the big picture. If you share the big picture information with your staff they will understand that they are part of something bigger. It will increase their feeling of importance and belonging.
Be open and honest: Even though your team is not as experienced, they are not stupid. People can spot easily if you are not telling the truth. They will eventually not know what is wrong, but they will feel that there is something they need to be suspicious off. As a result, they will be very careful what they tell you. So you may lose important information. Distrust is deadly for any manager. Don’t give your staff any reason to question your honesty.
Truly care for your staff: We are not machines. If the employee understands that you care for them as a person and not just at another resource, they will feel safe to be themselves at work. As a result, they will be able to handle stress better and be more open about the real problems they face at work. A common way to show you care is to talk not only about work with them. Ask about their weekend, their family, and other private life activities (certainly without going too personal). Ask with tact. However, here’s the risk! You must truly care with your heart. If you don’t feel it, then better don’t do it. People will feel you are fake which is violating my previous point above.
Show that you are a human being: Managers often feel the pressure to demonstrate their capabilities to do the job. As a result they try to avoid showing any weaknesses. However, the picture of the always performing and never troubled manager may intimidate your staff. Like every body, your staff brings worries and anxiousness to the work place. Seeing you always succeeding may make them feel weak. Share openly some of your personal worries with them. Or even better, let them know past situations where you were afraid of something and then overcame it. This will help your staff to feel safe to work with you
Reward through recognition: As mentioned earlier, money recognition doesn’t work to keep people motivated for a longer time period. People will ask for more and more for every extra task since you train them that results lead to money. Recognition and giving credit for good work is the way to go. A common way for instance is to respond with a thank you email when an employee sent a good deliverable to you. Put other people in copy of your thank you email to demonstrate the visibility of their successes to others. This also motivates other team members do deliver similar results. Furthermore, if you use work from team members to present to a larger audience, always mention who did the work. Don’t worry, people will still perceive you as the leader. It will look good on you if others see that you can share your successes.
Work for their development: One of the intrinsic motivation factors for many people is the ambition to further growth of skills and position in the company. Become a career coach for your staff. Help them to succeed on the career ladder in your company. Ideally you aim to develop them to replace yourself in your position, given that you are confident enough that you can do better than now.
Create a good social environment: Work must be enjoyable. And enjoying work with colleagues that we also like in private can be a major driver for commitment and loyalty. Therefore, give enough space for private interaction of your team members. A good way is to do some social events with your team. These events don’t need to be expensive. I’m talking about short, inexpensive after-work activities such as bowling, informal dinners or sport activities.
Listen, listen and again listen: As your staff for feedback. give them the chance to optimize their own work environment where they can perform the best. They know the best what they need to achieve results. So, don’t underestimate this crucial source of information.


I would never have asked any employee their political affiliation, but I would try to present the big picture as to where the company was headed and the challenges it was facing.

That is not a threat. Failure to do so would be failing communication with the employees. As I was personally responsible for their livelihoods, it was my responsibility to inform them where I saw problems and opportunities and how it could affect them.

stormwatch89 wrote:Eight basic management tools that I tried to adhere to. Note: the first one.


Provide the big picture: Where is the company going? What are current challenges that top management is trying to address? How does the employee’s contribution fit in the big picture. If you share the big picture information with your staff they will understand that they are part of something bigger. It will increase their feeling of importance and belonging.
Be open and honest: Even though your team is not as experienced, they are not stupid. People can spot easily if you are not telling the truth. They will eventually not know what is wrong, but they will feel that there is something they need to be suspicious off. As a result, they will be very careful what they tell you. So you may lose important information. Distrust is deadly for any manager. Don’t give your staff any reason to question your honesty.
Truly care for your staff: We are not machines. If the employee understands that you care for them as a person and not just at another resource, they will feel safe to be themselves at work. As a result, they will be able to handle stress better and be more open about the real problems they face at work. A common way to show you care is to talk not only about work with them. Ask about their weekend, their family, and other private life activities (certainly without going too personal). Ask with tact. However, here’s the risk! You must truly care with your heart. If you don’t feel it, then better don’t do it. People will feel you are fake which is violating my previous point above.
Show that you are a human being: Managers often feel the pressure to demonstrate their capabilities to do the job. As a result they try to avoid showing any weaknesses. However, the picture of the always performing and never troubled manager may intimidate your staff. Like every body, your staff brings worries and anxiousness to the work place. Seeing you always succeeding may make them feel weak. Share openly some of your personal worries with them. Or even better, let them know past situations where you were afraid of something and then overcame it. This will help your staff to feel safe to work with you
Reward through recognition: As mentioned earlier, money recognition doesn’t work to keep people motivated for a longer time period. People will ask for more and more for every extra task since you train them that results lead to money. Recognition and giving credit for good work is the way to go. A common way for instance is to respond with a thank you email when an employee sent a good deliverable to you. Put other people in copy of your thank you email to demonstrate the visibility of their successes to others. This also motivates other team members do deliver similar results. Furthermore, if you use work from team members to present to a larger audience, always mention who did the work. Don’t worry, people will still perceive you as the leader. It will look good on you if others see that you can share your successes.
Work for their development: One of the intrinsic motivation factors for many people is the ambition to further growth of skills and position in the company. Become a career coach for your staff. Help them to succeed on the career ladder in your company. Ideally you aim to develop them to replace yourself in your position, given that you are confident enough that you can do better than now.
Create a good social environment: Work must be enjoyable. And enjoying work with colleagues that we also like in private can be a major driver for commitment and loyalty. Therefore, give enough space for private interaction of your team members. A good way is to do some social events with your team. These events don’t need to be expensive. I’m talking about short, inexpensive after-work activities such as bowling, informal dinners or sport activities.
Listen, listen and again listen: As your staff for feedback. give them the chance to optimize their own work environment where they can perform the best. They know the best what they need to achieve results. So, don’t underestimate this crucial source of information.


I would never have asked any employee their political affiliation, but I would try to present the big picture as to where the company was headed and the challenges it was facing.

That is not a threat. Failure to do so would be failing communication with the employees. As I was personally responsible for their livelihoods, it was my responsibility to inform them where I saw problems and opportunities and how it could affect them.

Great information and I agree with you 100%

are you my long lost twin?

Rogue wrote:

stormwatch89 wrote:Eight basic management tools that I tried to adhere to. Note: the first one.


Provide the big picture: Where is the company going? What are current challenges that top management is trying to address? How does the employee’s contribution fit in the big picture. If you share the big picture information with your staff they will understand that they are part of something bigger. It will increase their feeling of importance and belonging.
Be open and honest: Even though your team is not as experienced, they are not stupid. People can spot easily if you are not telling the truth. They will eventually not know what is wrong, but they will feel that there is something they need to be suspicious off. As a result, they will be very careful what they tell you. So you may lose important information. Distrust is deadly for any manager. Don’t give your staff any reason to question your honesty.
Truly care for your staff: We are not machines. If the employee understands that you care for them as a person and not just at another resource, they will feel safe to be themselves at work. As a result, they will be able to handle stress better and be more open about the real problems they face at work. A common way to show you care is to talk not only about work with them. Ask about their weekend, their family, and other private life activities (certainly without going too personal). Ask with tact. However, here’s the risk! You must truly care with your heart. If you don’t feel it, then better don’t do it. People will feel you are fake which is violating my previous point above.
Show that you are a human being: Managers often feel the pressure to demonstrate their capabilities to do the job. As a result they try to avoid showing any weaknesses. However, the picture of the always performing and never troubled manager may intimidate your staff. Like every body, your staff brings worries and anxiousness to the work place. Seeing you always succeeding may make them feel weak. Share openly some of your personal worries with them. Or even better, let them know past situations where you were afraid of something and then overcame it. This will help your staff to feel safe to work with you
Reward through recognition: As mentioned earlier, money recognition doesn’t work to keep people motivated for a longer time period. People will ask for more and more for every extra task since you train them that results lead to money. Recognition and giving credit for good work is the way to go. A common way for instance is to respond with a thank you email when an employee sent a good deliverable to you. Put other people in copy of your thank you email to demonstrate the visibility of their successes to others. This also motivates other team members do deliver similar results. Furthermore, if you use work from team members to present to a larger audience, always mention who did the work. Don’t worry, people will still perceive you as the leader. It will look good on you if others see that you can share your successes.
Work for their development: One of the intrinsic motivation factors for many people is the ambition to further growth of skills and position in the company. Become a career coach for your staff. Help them to succeed on the career ladder in your company. Ideally you aim to develop them to replace yourself in your position, given that you are confident enough that you can do better than now.
Create a good social environment: Work must be enjoyable. And enjoying work with colleagues that we also like in private can be a major driver for commitment and loyalty. Therefore, give enough space for private interaction of your team members. A good way is to do some social events with your team. These events don’t need to be expensive. I’m talking about short, inexpensive after-work activities such as bowling, informal dinners or sport activities.
Listen, listen and again listen: As your staff for feedback. give them the chance to optimize their own work environment where they can perform the best. They know the best what they need to achieve results. So, don’t underestimate this crucial source of information.


I would never have asked any employee their political affiliation, but I would try to present the big picture as to where the company was headed and the challenges it was facing.

That is not a threat. Failure to do so would be failing communication with the employees. As I was personally responsible for their livelihoods, it was my responsibility to inform them where I saw problems and opportunities and how it could affect them.

Great information and I agree with you 100%

are you my long lost twin?

It'd have to be LONG lost! My momma kept a bar of soap on hand at all times. Lifeboy.............what an awful taste!

stormwatch89 wrote:

Rogue wrote:

stormwatch89 wrote:Eight basic management tools that I tried to adhere to. Note: the first one.


Provide the big picture: Where is the company going? What are current challenges that top management is trying to address? How does the employee’s contribution fit in the big picture. If you share the big picture information with your staff they will understand that they are part of something bigger. It will increase their feeling of importance and belonging.
Be open and honest: Even though your team is not as experienced, they are not stupid. People can spot easily if you are not telling the truth. They will eventually not know what is wrong, but they will feel that there is something they need to be suspicious off. As a result, they will be very careful what they tell you. So you may lose important information. Distrust is deadly for any manager. Don’t give your staff any reason to question your honesty.
Truly care for your staff: We are not machines. If the employee understands that you care for them as a person and not just at another resource, they will feel safe to be themselves at work. As a result, they will be able to handle stress better and be more open about the real problems they face at work. A common way to show you care is to talk not only about work with them. Ask about their weekend, their family, and other private life activities (certainly without going too personal). Ask with tact. However, here’s the risk! You must truly care with your heart. If you don’t feel it, then better don’t do it. People will feel you are fake which is violating my previous point above.
Show that you are a human being: Managers often feel the pressure to demonstrate their capabilities to do the job. As a result they try to avoid showing any weaknesses. However, the picture of the always performing and never troubled manager may intimidate your staff. Like every body, your staff brings worries and anxiousness to the work place. Seeing you always succeeding may make them feel weak. Share openly some of your personal worries with them. Or even better, let them know past situations where you were afraid of something and then overcame it. This will help your staff to feel safe to work with you
Reward through recognition: As mentioned earlier, money recognition doesn’t work to keep people motivated for a longer time period. People will ask for more and more for every extra task since you train them that results lead to money. Recognition and giving credit for good work is the way to go. A common way for instance is to respond with a thank you email when an employee sent a good deliverable to you. Put other people in copy of your thank you email to demonstrate the visibility of their successes to others. This also motivates other team members do deliver similar results. Furthermore, if you use work from team members to present to a larger audience, always mention who did the work. Don’t worry, people will still perceive you as the leader. It will look good on you if others see that you can share your successes.
Work for their development: One of the intrinsic motivation factors for many people is the ambition to further growth of skills and position in the company. Become a career coach for your staff. Help them to succeed on the career ladder in your company. Ideally you aim to develop them to replace yourself in your position, given that you are confident enough that you can do better than now.
Create a good social environment: Work must be enjoyable. And enjoying work with colleagues that we also like in private can be a major driver for commitment and loyalty. Therefore, give enough space for private interaction of your team members. A good way is to do some social events with your team. These events don’t need to be expensive. I’m talking about short, inexpensive after-work activities such as bowling, informal dinners or sport activities.
Listen, listen and again listen: As your staff for feedback. give them the chance to optimize their own work environment where they can perform the best. They know the best what they need to achieve results. So, don’t underestimate this crucial source of information.


I would never have asked any employee their political affiliation, but I would try to present the big picture as to where the company was headed and the challenges it was facing.

That is not a threat. Failure to do so would be failing communication with the employees. As I was personally responsible for their livelihoods, it was my responsibility to inform them where I saw problems and opportunities and how it could affect them.

Great information and I agree with you 100%

are you my long lost twin?

It'd have to be LONG lost! My momma kept a bar of soap on hand at all times. Lifeboy.............what an awful taste!

nadalfan wrote:Some employees have been "threatened" that jobs may be lost if Obama wins.
Apparently it's legal, but is it ethical?
I'm just curious how others perceive this.

Of course it's ethical, but more importantly it's compassionate. The business owner is the one with the vision to determine how external events will impact his/her business. The primary purpose of the business is to make a profit for the owner(s)...not to provide jobs. To be successful, a business owner must mitigate risks to his/her business.

Being warned that jobs may be lost if a particular candidate wins an election is no more unethical than being warned that jobs may be lost if production doesn't increase. Is it more ethical to provide no advance notice of layoffs?

Voting is a personal decision based on personal beliefs and values. It should never be tied in w/ your employment. How your employers business is affected is their business and you are not responsible to keep them afloat. I would never vote to appease my employer against my own personal beliefs. It is unethical.

Dreamsglore wrote:Voting is a personal decision based on personal beliefs and values. It should never be tied in w/ your employment. How your employers business is affected is their business and you are not responsible to keep them afloat. I would never vote to appease my employer against my own personal beliefs. It is unethical.

Voting IS a personal decision just as a business owner has a decision to make regarding how many employees he/she can afford to maintain. There is nothing unethical about giving your employees a heads up if something is about to happen that will negatively impact the business. By all means vote your values, but don't blame the business owner if jobs have to be reduced in order to stay in business

nsureme wrote:

Dreamsglore wrote:Voting is a personal decision based on personal beliefs and values. It should never be tied in w/ your employment. How your employers business is affected is their business and you are not responsible to keep them afloat. I would never vote to appease my employer against my own personal beliefs. It is unethical.

Voting IS a personal decision just as a business owner has a decision to make regarding how many employees he/she can afford to maintain. There is nothing unethical about giving your employees a heads up if something is about to happen that will negatively impact the business. By all means vote your values, but don't blame the business owner if jobs have to be reduced in order to stay in business

It is unethical to pose to an employee the ramifications of a certain political vote. We are not talking about informing your employees of negative business losses.

Dreamsglore wrote:

nsureme wrote:

Dreamsglore wrote:Voting is a personal decision based on personal beliefs and values. It should never be tied in w/ your employment. How your employers business is affected is their business and you are not responsible to keep them afloat. I would never vote to appease my employer against my own personal beliefs. It is unethical.

Voting IS a personal decision just as a business owner has a decision to make regarding how many employees he/she can afford to maintain. There is nothing unethical about giving your employees a heads up if something is about to happen that will negatively impact the business. By all means vote your values, but don't blame the business owner if jobs have to be reduced in order to stay in business

It is unethical to pose to an employee the ramifications of a certain political vote. We are not talking about informing your employees of negative business losses.

Being upfront and honest is now unethical? I always thought it was the opposite.

nsureme wrote:

Dreamsglore wrote:

nsureme wrote:

Dreamsglore wrote:Voting is a personal decision based on personal beliefs and values. It should never be tied in w/ your employment. How your employers business is affected is their business and you are not responsible to keep them afloat. I would never vote to appease my employer against my own personal beliefs. It is unethical.

Voting IS a personal decision just as a business owner has a decision to make regarding how many employees he/she can afford to maintain. There is nothing unethical about giving your employees a heads up if something is about to happen that will negatively impact the business. By all means vote your values, but don't blame the business owner if jobs have to be reduced in order to stay in business

It is unethical to pose to an employee the ramifications of a certain political vote. We are not talking about informing your employees of negative business losses.

Being upfront and honest is now unethical? I always thought it was the opposite.

You can call it what you like but when you put political equations in it... it is unethical.

Dreamsglore wrote:

nsureme wrote:

Dreamsglore wrote:

nsureme wrote:

Dreamsglore wrote:Voting is a personal decision based on personal beliefs and values. It should never be tied in w/ your employment. How your employers business is affected is their business and you are not responsible to keep them afloat. I would never vote to appease my employer against my own personal beliefs. It is unethical.

Voting IS a personal decision just as a business owner has a decision to make regarding how many employees he/she can afford to maintain. There is nothing unethical about giving your employees a heads up if something is about to happen that will negatively impact the business. By all means vote your values, but don't blame the business owner if jobs have to be reduced in order to stay in business

It is unethical to pose to an employee the ramifications of a certain political vote. We are not talking about informing your employees of negative business losses.

Being upfront and honest is now unethical? I always thought it was the opposite.

You can call it what you like but when you put political equations in it... it is unethical.

I don't follow your reasoning so we'll just have to disagree.

nadalfan wrote:Some employees have been "threatened" that jobs may be lost if Obama wins.
Apparently it's legal, but is it ethical?
I'm just curious how others perceive this.

While my livelihood (and my mom's before me) has been dependent upon passage of the Production Tax Credit for many years, my employers have never tried to sway employees' votes by saying anything like, If Candidate A wins the PTC will not get signed so, for the sake of your jobs please vote for Candidate B. THEY believed that to be unethical behavior, and it was against company policy. It would have really bothered me if it had taken place, and I am in agreement with those here who have said that discussion of politics (and religion, for that matter) do not belong in the workplace.

So yes, I suppose I do think it's unethical... Or at the very minimum, borderline. However, as you point out, it is legal.

nsureme wrote:

Dreamsglore wrote:

nsureme wrote:

Dreamsglore wrote:

nsureme wrote:

Dreamsglore wrote:Voting is a personal decision based on personal beliefs and values. It should never be tied in w/ your employment. How your employers business is affected is their business and you are not responsible to keep them afloat. I would never vote to appease my employer against my own personal beliefs. It is unethical.

Voting IS a personal decision just as a business owner has a decision to make regarding how many employees he/she can afford to maintain. There is nothing unethical about giving your employees a heads up if something is about to happen that will negatively impact the business. By all means vote your values, but don't blame the business owner if jobs have to be reduced in order to stay in business

It is unethical to pose to an employee the ramifications of a certain political vote. We are not talking about informing your employees of negative business losses.

Being upfront and honest is now unethical? I always thought it was the opposite.

You can call it what you like but when you put political equations in it... it is unethical.

I don't follow your reasoning so we'll just have to disagree.

I don't follow yours either. There are many issues in which people decide political affiliations not just to keep a business owner in business.To tell an employee their vote will impact their job is nothing more than coercion.

K- here's a real life, local situation. There's a man I know who owns a health insurance agency. If Obamacare goes ahead he WILL be laying off help. He will have barely enough business for himself as he explains it.

Should he just blind side them by an abrupt layoff or explain that there will be complications with it's implementation?

I would consider it important information the employees need for planning rather than an attempt to sway a PRIVATE vote.

My hunch here is that we aren't discussing management styles so much as we're dealing with the stereotypes regarding employers and employees.

riceme wrote:

nadalfan wrote:Some employees have been "threatened" that jobs may be lost if Obama wins.
Apparently it's legal, but is it ethical?
I'm just curious how others perceive this.

While my livelihood (and my mom's before me) has been dependent upon passage of the Production Tax Credit for many years, my employers have never tried to sway employees' votes by saying anything like, If Candidate A wins the PTC will not get signed so, for the sake of your jobs please vote for Candidate B. THEY believed that to be unethical behavior, and it was against company policy. It would have really bothered me if it had taken place, and I am in agreement with those here who have said that discussion of politics (and religion, for that matter) do not belong in the workplace.

So yes, I suppose I do think it's unethical... Or at the very minimum, borderline. However, as you point out, it is legal.

How is your employer trying to influence your vote any more unethical than anyone else trying to influence your vote? Why would someone want to work for an employer and not at least respect them enough to listen to their opinion regarding negative impacts to the business? We aren't discussing a case of an employer telling an employee who they must vote for or lose their job.

Dreamsglore wrote:

nsureme wrote:

Dreamsglore wrote:

nsureme wrote:

Dreamsglore wrote:

nsureme wrote:

Dreamsglore wrote:Voting is a personal decision based on personal beliefs and values. It should never be tied in w/ your employment. How your employers business is affected is their business and you are not responsible to keep them afloat. I would never vote to appease my employer against my own personal beliefs. It is unethical.

Voting IS a personal decision just as a business owner has a decision to make regarding how many employees he/she can afford to maintain. There is nothing unethical about giving your employees a heads up if something is about to happen that will negatively impact the business. By all means vote your values, but don't blame the business owner if jobs have to be reduced in order to stay in business

It is unethical to pose to an employee the ramifications of a certain political vote. We are not talking about informing your employees of negative business losses.

Being upfront and honest is now unethical? I always thought it was the opposite.

You can call it what you like but when you put political equations in it... it is unethical.

I don't follow your reasoning so we'll just have to disagree.

I don't follow yours either. There are many issues in which people decide political affiliations not just to keep a business owner in business.To tell an employee their vote will impact their job is nothing more than coercion.

How about making sure your employer remains in business?

There is a counter ethical argument over obama telling lockhead martin not to send out layoff notices as required by law to comply with sequestration... which stands at this point. The president stated during the last debate that it won't happen... but it's really not up to him.

The notices were to have gone out right before the election which could have a negative impact upon obama's campaign. Is it ethical for obama to tell them not to comply with the law with the promise that the govt would cover legal liability with our tax dollars?

PkrBum wrote:There is a counter ethical argument over obama telling lockhead martin not to send out layoff notices as required by law to comply with sequestration... which stands at this point. The president stated during the last debate that it won't happen... but it's really not up to him.

The notices were to have gone out right before the election which could have a negative impact upon obama's campaign. Is it ethical for obama to tell them not to comply with the law with the promise that the govt would cover legal liability with our tax dollars?

Now thats not only unethical, but he himself breaks a law that he himself worked to pass.

more double standard