Required to Wear Button Promoting Employer's Business
I work for a small company and just today I was ask to wear a button and promote a new business that has moved into our complex. They are renting space from our company and I was told by a public relations assistant that I had to wear the button and promote this business to the clients that visit our company. It's a problem for me. I need the job but I feel as if I am being asked to lie. The company deals with Western Medicine. In my past I have had many difficulties with the Western Medical establishment on a whole and feel that they are nothing but theives, liars, and murderers. I can't in honesty promote something that I see as evil. I told the public relations assistant that I would wear the button but not mention my opinion of western medicine nor would I verbal invite people to visit the business. Can I be fired for not directing my clients to these killers?
Re: Dealing with a Conflict of Employer/Employee Opinion
If your actions are not based on a religious basis and are merely (not diminishing the importance of personal morals) there is no pretection from discharge due to your refusal to act as your employers require. It is simple insubordination.
A simple analogy that might help: a vegetarian works at a Subway restaurant. They willingly sell all the veggie sandwiches asked for but refuse to sell any sandwiches containing meat. They will be fired for insubordination, and rightfully and rightously so.
A person is allowed their own personal morals but unless they can be laid to a religious affiliation as a tenent of that religion, you would be hard pressed to defend your position legally for refusing to perform duties as directed.
In case you are thinking of using a religious basis for refusing to act as directed, you would need to be able to show; 1. those activities are restricted by or against your religions tenents; 2. you are active in your church to the extent that you would desire to follow your churches tenents and are not simply making the claim that it is against your churches beliefs.
Re: Dealing with a Conflict of Employer/Employee Opinion
Thanks jk. It's not against my religous beliefs but my own personal convictions. So I will in effect be forced to direct people to the western medical establishment if I want to keep my job. I am hoping that I just will have to know there business hours and that the clients won't ask me for my own personal opinion of western medicine. As I work with foreigners from all over the world I don't want any clients harmed by western medicine.
Re: Dealing with a Conflict of Employer/Employee Opinion
I, personally, do not agree with your position on western medecine. While there are problems and there are inferior practitioners out there, in general I believe western medecine is generally the most effective method available. You, of course, are entitled to you position as well.
You need to be careful in your responses if a client were to ask you for your opinion. While I would never advocate one to lie, I believe you need to find an "non damning" response to an inquiry to your personal beliefs and opinions. There are responses that would not support the actions of western medicine without damning it either.
If you do present your beliefs, which obviously contrast your employers, you could be fired, with justification. Also realize that in most employment situations, it is an emplyment at will situation where you can be fired with no reason required other than they do not wish to continue to employ you. If they believe you are less than supportive of their position. Your actions would be affected by such a belief and it would be in contrast to the employers goals.
Actually, I question the dedication to your beliefs. The fact that you intend to continue your employment with a company that obviously supports a group you are so vehemently opposed to would bring your strength of belief into question.
I can assure you that if I discovered my employer to be a Satanist, I would no longer continue my employment with them due to my position on Satanism. How strongly do you support your beliefs?
Re: Dealing with a Conflict of Employer/Employee Opinion
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Quoting
jk
I can assure you that if I discovered my employer to be a Satanist, I would no longer continue my employment with them due to my position on Satanism. How strongly do you support your beliefs?
I liken this situation to working with Satanist but as of current I can not quiet this job until I find another. I will hope for the best and pray that I will just have to know the business hours and not be asked anymore about them. I will read the promo tomorrow and it may just be the hours and I can leave the evil of the detail to them.
Re: Dealing with a Conflict of Employer/Employee Opinion
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Quoting
BlueCrystal
I liken this situation to working with Satanist but as of current I can not quiet this job until I find another. I will hope for the best and pray that I will just have to know the business hours and not be asked anymore about them. I will read the promo tomorrow and it may just be the hours and I can leave the evil of the detail to them.
Then you have proven by your actions you are willing to compromise your convictions. If a persons convictions are true, they will simply act accordingly. Yes, it can have a negative impact on ones life but that must be accepted if you truly believe what you claim to beleive.
Proof of conviction; Cassius Clay (aka Muhommed Ali)
Quote:
Muhammad Ali, for years to come, was the best known American individual opposed to the Vietnam war. Far more than more political figures - he had the greater recognition. When Ali returned to America in early 1967 he faced
a daunting choice - give in, sign up with the army and cut a deal with them, or, go to jail, loose his Heavyweight crown and never fight again. But his conscience would not let him back down.
Ali was stripped of his title, charged, convicted, sentenced to five years in prison, released on bail. His passport was taken away from him and for three and a half years he was not allowed to leave the United States and not allowed to fight at all.
credit to :
http://www.newsfinder.org/site/more/muhammad_ali/
Now that is strength of conviction. Anything less would have been a compromise. You are apparently wiling to compromise to continue your employment until something better is found. Hard to claim true conviction of your beliefs, especially considering this statement of yours:
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I liken this situation to working with Satanist
but there is nothing illegal in your actions.
Re: Dealing with a Conflict of Employer/Employee Opinion
Dodge a bullet big time! When I got to work I was given the button and had to read about the services provided by the Medical Office. No doctors just nurse practitioners that are limited in what they are allow to do. They don't take insurance either so hopefully they will have very little contact with the general clients that visit the place. I was asked once about it already and when I said they don't accept any health insurance providers that seemed to end the interest in it for the clients.
I just have to wear to button for about a month then I will be allowed to loose it. Apparently I am not the only one that feels this way about Western Medicine. God bless all the people of Appalachian ancestry and upper management that are working to get rid of this mess.