DP4

DecisionPoint
http://proethica.org/ontology/cases#DecisionPoint

DP4

At the point where internal escalation is fully exhausted, a pattern of administrative disregard is established, and state law mandates external reporting, should Engineer A decline to report to the state authority in deference to Administrator C's directive, or fulfill the mandatory statutory reporting obligation regardless of the employment consequences?

The full sequence of internal escalation has now been exhausted: Administrator C dismissed the concern, city council members took no corrective action, Engineer A was removed from responsible charge and placed on probation, and the overflow condition is imminent or has materialized. State law explicitly requires reporting of wastewater overflow conditions to the state water pollution control authority. Administrator C has ordered Engineer A not to report externally. Engineer A must make a final decision about whether to fulfill the statutory reporting obligation.

Refrain from contacting the state water pollution control authority in compliance with Administrator C's explicit order, treating the employer's communication channeling directive as a legally and ethically sufficient basis for non-reporting despite the statutory mandate and the exhaustion of internal channels.

Contact the state water pollution control authority to report the imminent or actual wastewater overflow condition as required by state law, invoking the statutory reporting obligation that cannot be deferred or suppressed by a non-engineer municipal administrator's directive, and accepting the employment consequences of this action.

Consult with an attorney to confirm the scope and enforceability of the statutory reporting obligation before acting, using the legal consultation period to document the pattern of administrative disregard and prepare a comprehensive report to the state authority that minimizes personal legal exposure.

City Engineer / Director of Public Works