What to Do When Your Boss Doesn't Trust You Failures of trust and communication can be tricky to navigate. The Ethics Coach can help.

Q: I work part time at a company. My desk sits out of the owner's view. After I called in sick for a few days thanks to a case of shingles, the owner had his administrative assistant—also a part-time employee—tell me they can't trust the hours on my timecard because they can't see when I arrive or leave, and I "could be ripping them off." I'm insulted. I report hours accurately, have been there a year and resent that a peer was sent to deliver this message to me. My initial instinct was to quit. How should I handle this?

A: Your experience underscores some ethical problems that can be avoided through solid communication skills.

If a business owner has a question about a direct report's honesty or work performance, the employee deserves the respect of hearing about it directly from the owner (or the human resources department). No matter how busy things are or how awkward it may feel to voice a concern, it's a leader's job to initiate the discussion, ask questions, be open to the responses and clear up any problems.