Ethics Case Study – 25
Sampath is working in a Software company. His salary is not good. He is a divorcee and has ailing parents to look after. He is living with them in a small rented house. His father, whom he respects and loves a lot, is diagnosed with cancer and is on chemotherapy.
Sampath’s monthly salary is almost spent for medicine purpose. He also has large debt. His mother, who was healthy till recently, is also sick most of the times. Sampath is the only son to his parents. As an obedient and loving son, he is taking care of his parents in spite of large difficulties he is facing financially.
His hard work was recognized by the company where he worked and now he is offered a high paying job in USA at the company headquarters. All along it was his dream too. He has to leave for USA in few days. He convinces his parents that he would send them money as soon as he reaches there and asks his mother to look after his father. He also promises them that if all goes well, he would take them to USA to live with him.
On the day of departure to USA, half an hour before his boarding time, Sampath receives a call from his mother. Sobbing, she tells him that his father’s health has deteriorated and he is on the verge of death. She requests him to do something. Sampath is not sure if his father would live or die even if he is taken to the hospital right away.
If Sampath misses the plane, he may never get an opportunity like this. He has huge debt which can not be repaid with his meager salary for many more years, and if he goes to USA, he will earn five times more than his present earnings.
What should Sampath do now? What characters are being tested here? Justify your answer.
