Moral quandry ... or not?
nakazcid
Somewhere in Dixie, y'all Veteran
I find myself in an interesting situation. I am/was a contractor (a.k.a. temporary worker) for a large utility. In order to gain this employment, I had to sign a contract with one of the utility's subcontractors (a.k.a. a temp agency.) I was recently informed that I was going to be laid off my current job. Shortly thereafter, a different temp agency reached out to me about a different job at the same large utility. So I interviewed for the position and got it. I start Monday.
The gray area is what the new temp agency is telling me to do. To prevent any sort of contract complications, they advised me not to tell my current agency about the new job. This feels kind of underhanded and maybe even deceitful to me. Eventually they'll find out any way, but I feel uncomfortable not being straightforward with my old agency. I don't have any close personal connection or love for my old agency, but I still don't like hiding this information from them. I haven't told any lies or misrepresented anything, I've simply withheld information. It still doesn't feel right though.
What do folks here think?
Comments
I don't think it should be an issue UNLESS with your previous agency you signed some kind of "non-compete" clause.
I looked over the contract and the only thing I found was a clause about the utility not hiring me for 1 year. There's nothing about another temp agency hiring me on behalf of the utility. So I think I'm OK as far as contract law is concerned. It's just I feel kind of uneasy withholding the information.
If you can't think of any reason to contact your previous temp agency, then I personally wouldn't worry about it. You don't appear to have any reason to contact them, so I wouldn't worry. Although I too would be curious as to their reason for telling you that, so maybe at some point you could ask them why.
You should be ok, unless like @vinlyn said you signed a non-compete clause in your contract. That can be kind of a can of worms, because what is considered a competitor can vary a lot, and is open to perception. They are usually labeled as such and limit your ability to accept a similar position with a competitor within a period of time. the fact they are laying you off may not negate that clause if it is in your contract.
I guess the way I would approach it is that there is such a thing as sharing too much information. You want to be up front, but you don't have to share more than they ask, either. It's kind of like, when my husband accepted his job, his nature was to be upfront that we had a son who had medical needs, but they absolutely didn't want to know about that in the hiring process.
That said, I do think lying by omission is a "thing" but at the same time, we have to do what we truly believe is best. If they are laying you off, turning down a job because of principle may not be the best idea.
Since there is not a non-compete clause in your contract, it seems that the only issue is your feelings about the matter. Where do those feelings (that it is 'wrong') come from?
Sometimes my feelings/intuition is spot on. Sometimes they are the result of screwed up cognitive processes. I find I can sort it out for myself when I trace the sense that something is wrong (or right for that matter) to the beginning and find out where it came from.
For instance, my mother was my primary care provider and extremely abusive. I learned an awful lot about relationships from her and, as you might imagine, most of what I learned was unhealthy. Tracing back a relationship value that I hold today that brings me back to my relationship with my mother is usually a sign that I need to reevaluate that value.
Don't ...
Good luck with the work!
Your conscience is going to make you feel very uncomfortable at times, but it will also save your ass so many times and to such a profound degree that it is always, always, always worth following, even if the rational mind has other thoughts. Your conscience is piqued, don't bother to assess whether it is right or wrong, just trust it and follow it and make it a stronger presence in your life. Really. Make your conscience your God.
I have always been a fool for "what feels right". Even at the expense of worldly comfort. I am old now, but have enough to get by on ... simple means for simple tastes. More importantly, I have my self-approval and self-respect .. gained from following my conscience and sense of honesty and compassion.
You will do whatever meets your needs. I cannot say that my path is for everyone, nor even that it is necessarily desirable. No "toys of retirement" nor world-travel for this one. And some people might grieve if they lacked such perks in their life.
Each of us follows our own path and finds our own way.