Grex Scruples Conference

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Grex Scruples Item 49: The cowardly rumor-monger
Entered by md on Fri Jul 29 17:09:08 UTC 1994:

You hear that a coworker named Trudy has suddenly been let 
go.  After asking around, you learn the following: 

Another coworker named Warren made up nasty rumor about 
the company.  The first person Warren told it to was 
Trudy.  Trudy went to the boss and asked if it was true.  
The boss assured her it was not true, and then demanded to 
know where she had heard it.  Trudy refused to rat on 
Warren; and Warren, even though he knew Trudy was in 
trouble, didn't come forward.  The boss, citing corporate 
security, gave Trudy a choice: tell where you heard it and 
be held blameless, or else lose your job.  Trudy refused, 
and so she was fired.  Warren still hasn't said anything.  

You're the only other person who knows that Warren is the 
one who made up the rumor.  What do you do?

8 responses total.

#1 of 8 by scg on Fri Jul 29 19:18:49 1994:

If Trudy didn't want to say anything, I would probablyfigure that it
wasn't my business to intervene, but it would really depend on the
circumstances.  What was the rumor?  How did it effect security?  Was it
just the boss' power trip?

#2 of 8 by md on Fri Jul 29 19:59:04 1994:

Another lunch table story, greatly modified in this case.  
I would definitely stay out of it.  I can't imagine 
myself talking about it to any of the people involved, 
except maybe to pat Trudy on the back and tell her how 
bad I felt about the whole thing.

#3 of 8 by davel on Sat Jul 30 14:08:40 1994:

I wouldn't assume I was the only other one who knew (even if Trudy told me
I was), and if she didn't feel it appropriate to say anything official I
probably wouldn't.  Especially given that I only have her side of it.

#4 of 8 by aruba on Sat Jul 30 19:02:23 1994:

I think I would try to talk Warren into coming clean.  If the story didn't
have a happy ending, I might take my frustration out on the company in more
subtle, passive-aggressive ways. :)

#5 of 8 by scg on Sat Jul 30 21:57:55 1994:

It would depend in part on what sort of rumor it was, and what sort of
company it was.  If it were, say, a computer company, and an employee
started spreading completely untrue rumors that the company was using
substandard parts, it would be withing the company's interests to figure
out where the rumor was coming from and put a stop to it.  OTOH, if the
company was a school, and the rumor was that an employee was sexually
abusing students, even if you *think* it is only a rumor it still can't be
brushed under the rug.  In that case yit should be throughly investigated,
and the parents of the possibly effected students should be informed
immediately.

#6 of 8 by flem on Thu Aug 4 03:47:05 1994:

One thing I would definitely do is go to Warren and tell him that he's an
@$$hole.  Both for starting the rumor in the first place, and for not 
helping Trudy out.

#7 of 8 by ewhisam on Thu Dec 28 00:33:18 1995:

Who am I to question Trudy's allegiance to Warren, maybe she had a reason.

#8 of 8 by diznave on Sun Nov 9 07:55:14 1997:

Find Trudy, and ask her why she quit _The Facts Of Life_.

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