You're here! Great! Want to work?

Today you have to go into your agency's office to take care of paperwork.  You expect waiting time, disorganization, and frustration.  In the end--not your fault--you can't even finish the paperwork and have to come in the next day.  But, your agency offers you a week of work.  Its as if every person who came in to take care of paperwork is rewarded with a plum job.

Certainly its not unethical to accept work your agency offers you.  But you feel like the agency held these jobs for people who put in face time.

Can you get the phone for me?

You are driving down the road when your agency calls. Because, in your state, its against the law to talk on the phone while driving, your friend answers the phone for you. She relays your questions and answers.

Is the a breach of confidentiality? She doesn't know who the consumer is, only time and general location of the job.

What is your fee?

You get a call from someone, not an agency, asking if you can interpret a meeting. You look at your calendar and see you have a prior engagement. You decline the assignment but recommend a colleague you respect. The person hiring then asks your opinion on the fee they were going to offer.

--if you can't take the job, should you even comment on the fee?
--is it ethical to say, "that is within the range we work", "that is low", or "that is high"?
--should the fee be different since the job wouldn't be through an agency?

I hate my agency!

Your team goes on and on about the interpreting agency that placed you both on your current job. You share a few choice experiences you have had with the agency.

+Was it really appropriate to dis on your agency?
+What would have been another option?
+How can you be empathetic to your team while still remaining loyal to your agency?