Paper Example on Jasmin & Isaac's Ethical Dilemma: A Bank Teller's Crisis

Introduction

The ethical dilemma selected is about Jasmin and her colleague Isaac. Jasmin and Isaac work as bank tellers and have worked together for several months, thus becoming good friends. The issue starts when Isaac tells Jasmin that his daughter was critically ill and she needed surgery. Isaac's daughter needs $32,000 for the operation. However, he does not have medical insurance; hence, he will be forced to use money from his savings. Instead of using money from his pockets, Isaac used money from a dormant account at the bank. The dilemma, in this case, arises when Isaac confides in his friend; Jasmin. Jasmin is confused about whether to report Isaac's unprofessional act or withhold the information from their supervisor to protect Isaac from facing a bank's disciplinary action.

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The bank teller's case is a dilemma because Jasmin is required to make a hard decision. The decision will test her loyalty to the bank against her commitment to her friend. The choice she makes will either affect her profession or her friendship with Isaac. Furthermore, the case is a dilemma because a choice to report the matter to the supervisor will mean loyalty and professionalism towards the bank and her supervisor. However, a contrary decision will jeopardise her friendship with Isaac, appear insensitive towards the situation that Isaac was facing.

Banks have a set of ethical codes such as integrity, customer confidentiality, respect and professionalism, which guide the behavior of its staff. Banks adopt these codes to ensure tellers and other members of staff act responsibly when discharging their duties. Notably, ethical codes ensure that tellers do not ruin banks' reputation by engaging in illegal and unprofessional acts such as stealing customers money from their dormant accounts. These codes will be critical when Jasmin will be making her decision on whether to report Isaac or not. In her decision, she will either choose to observe honesty and integrity by reporting Isaac or violating these ethical codes by choosing to remain silent about the issue. being a teller in the same bank with Isaac, she has an obligation of notifying their supervisor about any malpractice she might notice happening in the bank. Hence, Jasmin will have to weigh between this obligation and the ethical codes of the bank with her loyalty to her friend before deciding whether to report him to her supervisor or not.

Dilemma Analysis

Utilitarianism

Utilitarianism refers to a moral theory that perceives the rightness or wrongness of an act based on its consequences. Utilitarianism approach also considers an act to be right if it results in the happiness of both the doer of the action as well as other individuals affected by the act (Barry 19). The theory also indicates that an action is wrong if it does not promote happiness to the doer and those affected (Barry 19). Utilitarianism ethical theory is based on three principles. The first states that happiness is the only quality that possesses intrinsic value. The second principle states that actions are right provided they result in happiness and wrong if they turn otherwise. The third principle states that the happiness of every individual counts.

Isaac's action was ethically based on the argument of the utilitarianism theory. The sickness of Isaac's daughter interfered with the happiness of Isaac, his daughter, and Jasmin. Isaac was unhappy and stressed because he did not have a medical insurance cover to cater for his daughter's operation. He could also not raise the money from his savings. However, by taking the money from the dormant account, he pays for her daughters' surgery, thus restoring her health to normal. This act is right as it promotes the happiness of his daughter, Isaac, and Jasmin. In addition, saving the life of Isaac's daughter is right because her health has an intrinsic value. Furthermore, the fact that Isaac is managing to pay the money back before anyone could notice is fulfilling and satisfying thus making his actions right. Moreover, the act was right because it facilitated the operation of Isaac's daughter and getting well without anybody in the bank noting until Isaac confided in Jasmin.

Aristotle Virtue Ethics

Aristotle's virtue ethics theory is based on the presumption that every act is done to do good (Kucukuysal and Erhan 45). Aristotle's approach to virtue ethics has been approached in three ways: eudaimonia, theories that founded on agents as well as care ethics. In eudaimonia, Aristotle indicates that the foundation of virtues is in the flourishing of an individual (Kucukuysal and Erhan 45). This implies that the person is conducting their duties and responsibilities well. Apart from flourishing, Aristotle perceived that virtues are based on a person's happiness, prosperity, and wellbeing (Kucukuysal and Erhan 45). Besides, the agent-based approach highlights that virtues are decided by the reasonable perspectives people have towards other individuals.

On the other hand, the ethics of care highlights that morals ought to concentrate on justice and autonomy. Aristotle also views virtues as either moral or intellectual. The former help individuals to deal with their desires and feelings logically while the latter helps individuals to think logically (Kucukuysal and Erhan 46). Therefore, Aristotle virtue ethics theory indicates that an act is right if the person acted rationally and virtuously.

In regards to this dilemma, Isaac's act is ethical because he dealt with the issue of his daughter's sickness rationally. Isaac's action is considered ethical because he thinks rationally by taking the money in one of their client's dormant accounts instead of leaving his daughter to die. Paying for the surgery was important in saving the life of his daughter first and return the money later. Furthermore, his act was ethical because he made a rational decision of not informing Jasmin before withdrawing the money. Jasmin might have convinced him not to take the money from a customer's dormant account. The act was ethical because it was virtuous since it enabled Isaac to meet his duties and responsibilities as a father to his daughter. The act also made him bring happiness to his daughter and himself.

Kantian Ethics

Emanuel Kant based morality on categorical imperative (CI) principle, which highlights that rationality is the standard of morality (Johnson 1). Kant indicated that humans ought to follow this regardless of their opposite natural desires and preferences. Kant viewed that all actions are deemed moral and ethical if they follow the CI principle (Johnson 1). Therefore, Kant indicated that a good or bad act is determined by the level at which it promotes individual's knowledge of humans as free and rational beings. besides, Kant indicated that humans should be accorded the dignity and respect they deserve. One of the principles adopted by Kant when analyzing morality was that humans should not use other people as a means to their own end. Kant views using another person to achieve one's personal objective to be immoral and wrong. Such acts show disrespect to people and deny them the opportunity to exercise their free rational choices.

Considering Kant's view of morality, the act of taking money from a client's bank account by Isaac was immoral. Notably, Isaac did not inform the customer, the bank supervisor or Jasmin when taking the money from the dormant account, thus undermining their rationality in regards to the matter. This implies that Isaac did not give Jasmin and his supervisor the opportunity to provide their rational opinion and advice to him. Furthermore, Isaac showed disrespect to the bank, the owner of the dormant account, Jasmin, and the supervisor for not consulting their reasonable opinion when deciding to take money from the account. Moreover, the act by Isaac was immoral because it violates the CI principle as it contradicts the fact that Jasmin, the supervisor and the account owner as rational beings. Additionally, Isaac's act is unethical because he used the bank customer as a means of achieving his purpose of paying for his daughter's operation. This was wrong because Isaac used them as a means to achieve his personal goal.

Course of Action

Based on the Utilitarianism and Aristotle's virtue ethics, Isaac's action was ethical and right because he wanted to save the life of his daughter. Jasmin should not inform the supervisor about Isaac's secret because he has assured her that he has started refunding the money. In addition, the supervisor has not noticed what Isaac has done, and hence, Jasmin should not report the case to the supervisor. She should wait for the bank to realize on their own. This will give Isaac enough time to repay the money. As a rational being, he had to consider the easiest and fastest means of raising the money and taking the money from a dormant account was one of them. Another reason as to why Jasmin should not report Isaac is because he had a moral duty of ensuring that his daughter was in good health. Moreover, the owner of the money was not using the money at that time. Hence, taking this money to save a life was critical since he did not have another way of raising it.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Isaac's case is a conflict between ethics, loyalty to the employer, personal responsibilities and friendship. Despite Isaac's case being understandable to Jasmin because of the sensitivity of the matter at hand, it should not be executed in future. Isaac and Jasmin should save money from their incomes to cater to their contingency needs, such as sicknesses. The banks should always scrutinize the actions and roles of their employees to ensure they do not tamper with clients' accounts. Tampering with clients' accounts may compromise the bank's integrity and reputation in case customers notice the malpractice.

Works Cited

Barry, Norman. Business Ethics. Springer, 2016.

Johnson, Robert, and Adam Cureton. "Kant's moral philosophy." (2004).

Kucukuysal, Bahadir, and Erhan Beyhan. "Virtue ethics in Aristotle's Nicomachean ethics." Journal of Human Sciences8.2 (2011): 43-51. Retrieved from: https://www.j-humansciences.com/ojs/index.php/IJHS/article/view/1737/759