DIYbanter - View Single Post - Should I fire this guy because he bought his degree from the internet?

wrote:

snip

Should I fire him because he bought
his degree from the internet instead of attending a regular university?

What he did was pretty crooked. I think I might decide to fire him over
this. If you were his employer what would you do?

OK, it's pretty sleazy spam. But the responses are very real and
interesting.

- "Consult a lawyer before firing him."

The very first response! How American can you get? :-)

- "Fire him. First, because he lied to the very person that hired him
(you). Second, to not would be a disservice to those that do work for
you that earned degrees the proper way."

- "Don't fire him. Thank him. When he lied on his application, he lied
to a faceless company. If you want to personalise it, he lied to the
secretary he gave it to. When he admitted it to you he told a truth to
a 'friend'/colleague with whom he felt a mutual
trust developing, don't abuse this."

Somehow I don't think these guys voted for the same candidate in 2004.

- If it is written company policy (to fire those who lie on resume's),
I don't see as you have much choice. If you don't enforce the policy
this time and you do enforce the
policy at a later date, you could be in for accusations of favoritism
or
discrimination."

The corporate lawyer's advice... CYA regardless of the ethical merits
of it all. Keeps things simple and safe.

- "tell him that company policy is to fire, but instead you're just
going to knock his pay down to what a person with no degree would get
and put him on probation."

Good one! Keep a valuable employee, let him feed his family, yet teach
him a lesson. Probably earn more loyalty for less money. But how to
explain this pay cut and probation to HR?

- "If his resume says he got his degree frmm Fly-by-Night University,
and that is the truth, he did not lie. Whether or not you fire him, or
reduce his pay or whatever, because he does not have the qualifications
you mistakenly thought he did is another matter."

A *defense* lawyer's answer - blame the victim.

- "Is it a legally recognized degree? If it is, then technically he
wasn't lying. He's done a good job, but assuming the degree isn't
legally recognized then he lied on the resume."

Beneath the legal hair-splitting lies a profound question that everyone
ignores today: of what value IS a college degree except as an easy
employment screening criterion? How can you weigh the difference
between a no-degreer with 5 years of applicable experience and a fresh
CalTech honors graduate? Is the difference narrower than we think?

Consider the aspects of a college education that make an applicant LESS
desirable. Debt load, for instance. A typical graduate emerges from
school owing about $100,000. Do you want him around the company till?
Is he more likely to jump ship at the first flash of more dough? How
can he possibly pass a drug test, unless he attended Brigham Young or
Bob Jones University? Might he be a closet Democrat?

- "I would consider it a mistake in judgement rather than an outright
lie."

A very Nixonian answer.

- "You should give him oral pleasure. "

A very Clintonian answer!

- "Use your brain it obvious, havn't we all done things in the past we
regret? I think you know you SHOULD NOT sack him."

The answer Karl Rove got.

This thread has been thought-provoking, no matter what its origin.
Thanks!