Ethical gut check: Do you keep a promotion not meant for you?

Clarification: Mistake like a filing error, and they confused you with someone else, or mistake like erred in judgment and the other person is really the better candidate now that they’ve thought about it more?

@Aethelflaed The paperwork was right, but at the time the memo went out you were on the bosses mind so the promotion went to you. When all the congratulations were over and all had gone home, the boss who called it realize he/she had made an error in the name and before he/she could tell any of the underlings of it, they died in a car crash. You are the only one who knows of the error in choice.

If I was convinced no one else knew, unfortunately I would keep it. I am that bad. The actual character of the person wouldn’t change my decision but his financial situation might change my mind. If he could really use the extra money from the promotion I would tell 2nd in command. If that situation doesn’t arise I will simply reflect on my actions and feel guilty in my new corner office.

I would keep the promotion. It is simpler that way. I would keep it as it would be nice to have the promotion and I would rationalise it by saying to myself that I shouldn’t point out mistakes made by the dead.

Hell yes I would keep it. If this boss was that out of it to give me the promotion instead of this co-worker who was clearly a slacker,arrogant twit, an obnoxious SOB, I would not think twice about this sudden turn of just desserts!

No I wouldn’t keep it. I’ll get one when I deserve one. If it’s not for me even if the one who was supposed to get it is lazy and such better let him take it and eventually the new boss will see he’s not fitted for the job ^^

Well here’s the thing, my boss is a boob for wrongly giving me the promotion in the first place and then turd for calling me to revoke it so recognizing those facts I would righteously give it up to whom it was intended for and then apply to take my bosses job because I know that I’m clearly more competent then he is. May he RIP…

In this made-up scenerio, I was having an affair with the boss and that is why my name was on his mind when he wrote up the promotion. I’d have to quit my job and have a nervous breakdown over his death because I did a pregnancy test and texted to tell him he was the baby-daddy as he was on his way to work; seconds before the pile-up.

How do I know that the boss wasn’t drunk when he made his late-night call to me, and that’s why he wrecked?

If I really thought that the other person were more qualified for the position, then I would have conceded already. It wouldn’t be an issue. I’d keep the promotion.

I think the boss was an idiot. I don’t see how he could be so uninvolved and such a stranger to his employees.

I think I would keep it. Knowing me, I suspect that I probably deserved the promotion, no who was the original nominee. If the other guy is really any good, he’ll get a promotion, just a little later than intended.

I don’t see this as a moral dilemma. First, the details of the question don’t say that the boss told the identity of the other person only that there was a mistake that would be sorted the next day.

Second, it is said that the boss is the only person who knew about the error, not higher ups or HR. Legally, the company is bound by the boss’s last documented action and can’t strip your promotion by trying to guess what was on the mind of a dead person. You keep the promotion regardless.

I wouldn’t want to worry about whether at some point this would be discovered anyhow and so no.

@Hypothetical_Central I would go ahead and let upper management know about the error. A little schmoozing might pay off better in the long term.

I’d look for a new job. This sort of fucked up “communication” would not fly with me.

I would have it corrected rather than run the chance, humiliation and disrespect that would come from it possibly being discovered later. I’d be in constant fear of this over my head. Way too much complication to gamble on.

I have no scrupples unless I knew that I couldn’t handle the new position. If I were as capable as this other person and especially if he was a jerk, I’d remain mum and try to become the best choice by example, then if it didn’t work out and the position was offered to the other guy then I would bow out graciously and return to my old position (it would then be my fault that I failed).

It depends. Do I think the other person is actually more qualified than I am to handle the new position? Was the boss sleeping with her, and that’s why she got it? Too many variables, really, but my gut says I’d fess up.