Say you work at a company that has a live receptionist. She's going to lunch or on vacation and no one else is around to take the phone calls except you, another woman and the rest of the men in the company.
The female co-worker is answering the phones all day. She needs to take a lunch. The management approaches you and asks to you to answer phones during her lunch. You ask if there is anyone else available (maybe you're meeting a friend for lunch), but they tell you that the prefer a woman to answer the phones since they have nicer sounding voices.
Do you cancel lunch with your friend and cover the phones or refuse to answer the phones?
Umm...and lets make it tricky, they say your female coworker can wait for her lunch until you get back from yours and if you can cover.
There are no right or wrong answers. This did not happen to me (but does reflect the question of ethics at my place of work). I'm curious what others would do.
The female co-worker is answering the phones all day. She needs to take a lunch. The management approaches you and asks to you to answer phones during her lunch. You ask if there is anyone else available (maybe you're meeting a friend for lunch), but they tell you that the prefer a woman to answer the phones since they have nicer sounding voices.
Do you cancel lunch with your friend and cover the phones or refuse to answer the phones?
Umm...and lets make it tricky, they say your female coworker can wait for her lunch until you get back from yours and if you can cover.
There are no right or wrong answers. This did not happen to me (but does reflect the question of ethics at my place of work). I'm curious what others would do.