LeeAnne works as a service advisor for a large car dealership. Part of LeeAnne’s job is to certify the

Question

accuracy of warranty repair claims submitted to manufacturers. LeeAnne’s supervisor, the service
manager, has asked LeeAnne to certify a repair claim for an expensive engine replacement.
The repair claim says the original oil pump malfunctioned, cut oil flow below minimum levels, and
caused the engine to seize. LeeAnne and her supervisor were working when the car came in, and they
both know the real reason the engine seized was that one of the dealership’s mechanics did not insert
the drain plug correctly after an oil change.
If LeeAnne signs the repair claim, the manufacturer will pay for the engine; if she does not sign the
repair claim, the dealership must pay for the engine.

Answer 1

Possible Consequences … of signing the repair claim … of refusing to sign the repair claim
Personal May lose the respect of family, friends, and/or peers; may lose self-respect.
May face economic crisis because of job loss; may gain respect of family, friends, and/or peers; may increase self-respect.
Professional May be expected to sign other questionable claims; may lose other employment opportunities; may be fired by upper management.
May be harassed by service manager; may lose current job; may not receive a good reference from current employer; may be set up to be implicated in this or future fraudulent activities to give the service manager leverage with which to keep LeeAnne “quiet”; may receive job offer from another firm; may be commended or promoted by upper management.
Legal May be charged with fraud and face monetary punishment and/or jail time.
May be asked to testify if upper management or manufacturer discovers the fraud and presses charges against the service manager.
Real-life outcome: LeeAnne chose not to sign the incorrect repair claim. Until that point, LeeAnne had
met or exceeded all sales and service goals and had received excellent performance reviews. The next
month the service manager moved LeeAnne to a completely different manufacturing line with which she
had no experience. She received no training. Two months after that the service manager said LeeAnne
was not selling enough products. She was fired.
The rest of the story: Everyone in the shop knew the real facts of the situation. LeeAnne’s story was told
via the grapevine to vendors who worked closely with shop personnel. One week after LeeAnne left the
shop, one of the vendors hired LeeAnne (at a higher salary) because of her “excellent customer service
skills and personal honesty.”