Blue moon again so soon? A serious answer. The reason I’m willing to be serious about this is because it really only protects honest people. I don’t give a fuck about the rest of you.
In many, if not most, offices of America and the world, you will be asked at least once and maybe every day to do something illegal—prison in the cards—or maybe just immoral—civil judgement sound fun?
If you’re at a large corporation, start with having a detailed job description. If it’s not in your description to break a partner’s terms of service or tell clients the software bug wasn’t a known issue, then don’t do it. If you are even remotely uncomfortable with doing something, get the instructions to do it in writing. Save it—be careful. Taking company correspondence off the property is often grounds for termination and sometimes even criminal charges.
A wonderfully efficacious trick that management will employ against you is to phone in the orders or walk by and ask. Never let it become “he said/she said.” You will lose if it’s your word against someone who can fire everyone who might otherwise want to back you up. Email is simple, powerful, and so easy that anyone who says they don’t have time to send you an instruction in writing is obviously lying and might be out to save his own ass at the expense of yours.
I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised how many ridiculous instructions evaporate into the ether when you ask for them in writing.
Take care of yourself and don’t be an ass. Do not to use it as a trick to get out of work. It might only succeed in getting you all the way out of work or preventing advancement because you’re such a pain to deal with.
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