An employee approaches you and asks to tell you something in confidence. He advises you that he has been performing illegal activities within the company for the last year. He is feeling guilty…

Question

Options

• AAsk for full details.
• BConfirm that the activity is really illegal.
• CInform your manager of the illegal activity.
• DTell the employee to inform his boss.

• A
  4% (1)
• B
  15% (4)
• C
  73% (19)
• D
  8% (2)

Explanation

When an employee discloses ongoing illegal activity, your legal and ethical obligation overrides any promise of confidentiality - reporting to your manager (C) is the correct action because organizations have a duty to address and stop illegal conduct, and keeping it secret could make you complicit. Option A (asking for full details) is wrong because gathering more information doesn't change your obligation and could deepen your involvement. Option B (confirming it's illegal) is a distractor - the employee has already stated it's illegal, so seeking confirmation wastes time and delays necessary action. Option D (telling the employee to inform his boss) is insufficient because you cannot delegate your own reporting responsibility to someone who has already demonstrated they won't self-report voluntarily.

Memory tip: Think "C for Compliance" - when illegal activity is disclosed, you must Comply with your organization's reporting obligations, regardless of how the conversation started.

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