Ethical issues in the workplace can be dicey, and as we've mentioned, proper solutions aren't always black and white.  I've been asked for a few examples of how one might handle specific situations, so here goes:

Question:  A happy client sent an expensive thank you gift to the office.  My company doesn’t have a policy about this, but the gift seems excessive and a little personal.  Should I send it back?

Answer: Not yet.  Discuss the issue with your boss.  If your boss agrees the gift is inappropriate and that you should return it, at least you won't be solely  responsible if the client reacts badly.  If your boss says to keep it, send a handwritten thank you card and leave it at that.

Question:  I am the entire IT department for a small firm. Our president believes some employees are spending too much time on the Internet doing non work-related tasks and asked me to start monitoring employees' Internet usage without their knowledge.  What should I do?

Answer: Suggest that an acceptable Internet-use policy be developed with input from all.  This action will raise everyone's awareness of the issue and serve as an implicit warning to some to change their Internet-related behavior. 

I hope you enjoyed this series on ethics.  Please comment me with additional thoughts on the issue!