Madison remarks, “Since you’re the supervisors then I don’t have any qualms about fudging the schooling hours.” What do you think of her reasoning? Does Nathan have any obligation to act or to report his colleagues and supervisors for willfully flaunting RCA-ES’s program guidelines? If so, what recourse does he have to take action?

Question

Nathan Bierwirth, BSW, worked as an employment counselor for Pathfinders Social Services, a nonprofit agency serving the Minneapolis metropolitan area. Pathfinders provided employment services for people leaving welfare, persons with disabilities, the homeless, and immigrants, refugees, and asylees. Part of Nathan’s caseload consisted of newly arrived refugees enrolled in Minnesota’s time-limited Refugee Cash Assistance–Employment Services (RCA-ES) program. Individualized Employment Plans (EPs) helped refugees transition from welfare to employment and self-sufficiency. EPs required a minimum of 35 hours per week of RCA-ES–approved activities, including employment services and formal education (limited to 20 hours per week). Nathan’s client, Ayana Tuma, a refugee from Ethiopia, had no educational or work experience and knew no English. This prevented her from effectively participating in employment service classes, so she enrolled in a full-time English as a Second Language (ESL) program. When Hennepin County audited Pathfinders, clients like Ayana, who exceeded the 20 hour instruction limit, could be sanctioned and even terminated from the program. As the audit approached, Nathan wondered if he should report Ayana’s ESL hours accurately or falsify her Employment Plan.

Answer 1

Madison’s reasoning makes a great deal of sense, “If my boss does it and says it’s okay for me to do it too, then I’ll do it and not worry about it.” Many practitioners have probably employed Madison’s reasoning and acted in similar fashion, although in different circumstances. It is far easier to go along with what one’s supervisor does or wants done, particularly if a practitioner is inclined to want the same thing, than it is to do otherwise. However, this does not excuse unethical behavior. Nathan has to decide whether or not he will follow Audrey’s and Madison’s example. But he must also deliberate as to whether or not he has any obligation to report his co-workers for falsifying records and committing fraud. Sections 2.11, 4.04, and 5.01 of the NASW Code of Ethics call upon him to report his co-workers. But acting upon these obligations and then taking the responsibility for doing so will be unimaginably painful and difficult to do. It may even jeopardize his job and his relationships with his co-workers.