AN ETHICAL DILEMMA?

Due to growth in your biopharmaceutical company, you have just added two new research scientist positions.  After some investigation, you have determined that the least amount you could offer candidates for the job is $135,000.  Because most of your employees have been with the company for a long period of time, you are particularly interested in hiring some research scientists who have recently completed their graduate work.  In the past, you have had problems hiring employees because your company is not yet well known, and it is located in South Dakota.  After the first round of interviews, you identify a candidate who is from the area, who wants to stay in the area, and who has acceptable, though not exceptional, credentials. She is an acceptable candidate who will do a good job but who doesn’t meet your need for “fresh” ideas in the same way as would a recent graduate.  You offer her the job, with a salary of $105,000, and she accepts, without negotiating for any increase in the salary.  Shortly thereafter, you interview a male candidate who is just completing his degree and who has exactly the credentials you are seeking.  During the course of the interview process, you learn that he has two other offers, he has two other interviews scheduled, and his offers are both considerably higher than what you are going to pay the person you just hired.  You are pretty sure the latter candidate will accept the job if you offer him $135,000.  What are you going to do?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1.      Identify the issues in this case.

2.      Make a decision about what to do.

3.      How should you respond to the female employee if you hire the male employee for more money and she finds out that you did so?