Mr. Singh lived in a sprawling housing society. He employed two part-time domestic helps, Vimla and Sharda. Vimla was responsible for cleaning and dusting, while Sharda took care of cooking.
Once Sharda fell ill and consequently took leave for three days. When Sharda returned to work, she learned that Mr. Singh’s gold ring, a gift from his mother, was missing. Suspecting theft, Mr. Singh had terminated Vimla. Mr. Singh asked Sharda to take additional responsibility of cleaning the house, along with an offer to double her salary. Sharda accepted the offer as her previous two jobs were lost due to frequent health-related absences. She was struggling to make ends meet; this offer would go a long way to help her.
Next day, while cleaning under the dressing table, Sharda found the gold ring. Overjoyed, Mr. Singh expressed his gratitude by presenting Sharda a reward of one thousand rupees! However, he made no mention of reinstating Vimla.
Sharda was contemplating whether she should inform Vimla that she found Mr. Singh’s ring.
Which of the following considerations will BEST dissuade Sharda in sharing the information about the ring with Vimla?
Which of the following considerations will BEST dissuade Sharda in sharing the information about the ring with Vimla?
- Mr. Singh will probably terminate Sharda if he gets to know that she has revealed this information.
- Had Vimla done her job properly, she would have found the ring and avoided this incident.
- Vimla already knows she has not stolen anything, so telling her will not give her any new information.
- Sharda is not keeping well, and Mr. Singh warned her that her frequent absences could lead to her termination.
- Whenever Sharda was absent, Vimla used to help her by taking over her responsibilities.
The Correct Option is A
Solution and Explanation
Context: Mr. Singh had employed two part-time domestic helps, Vimla and Sharda. Vimla handled cleaning and dusting, while Sharda cooked. When Sharda fell ill and took leave for three days, Mr. Singh found that his gold ring was missing. Suspecting Vimla, he terminated her and offered Sharda a salary increase in exchange for additional cleaning duties. Sharda later found the ring but hesitated to inform Vimla about it, likely considering the ethical and professional ramifications.
Step 1: Analyze the situation. Sharda’s decision to inform Vimla could lead to complications, including reopening Vimla’s termination case and questioning Mr. Singh’s judgment. Additionally, it could affect Sharda’s relationship with Mr. Singh.
Step 2: Evaluate the options.
- Option 1: Mr. Singh terminating Sharda for sharing information is speculative and unlikely.
- Option 2: This directly ties Vimla’s performance to her dismissal and justifies Sharda’s hesitance.
- Option 3: While valid, this doesn’t provide strong reasoning for Sharda to avoid disclosing the information.
- Option 4: Sharda’s health concerns are unrelated to informing Vimla about the ring.
- Option 5: This does not address the key decision-making factor in this situation.
Step 3: Conclude the best answer. Option 2 provides the strongest justification for Sharda not informing Vimla, as it focuses on Vimla’s performance and its role in the events.
Final Answer: (2)
Two months passed, and owing to Sharda’s improved health and dedication, Sharda started working in three more houses. However, Vimla was dismissed from her jobs in two more houses primarily due to the ring incident. News of the discovery of the lost ring had not become public, and Sharda wanted to help Vimla. Sharda is contemplating over possible actions.
Which of the following actions, by Sharda, will BEST help Vimla?
Which of the following actions, by Sharda, will BEST help Vimla?
- Confront Mr. Singh about concealing the discovery of the lost ring from the housing society residents.
- Inform Vimla that the ring has been found and advise her to demand compensation from Mr. Singh for tarnishing her image.
- Inform as many domestic helps in the housing society as possible that she has found the ring.
- Quit the job at Mr. Singh’s house and ask him to consider offering that job to Vimla.
- Divulge to Vimla’s employers in the housing society that she has found the ring.
The Correct Option is B
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Analyze Sharda’s options. Sharda must prioritize helping Vimla regain her reputation and potentially her job opportunities. Actions that escalate conflict or damage Sharda’s credibility should be avoided.
Step 2: Evaluate the options.
- Option 1: Confronting Mr. Singh might create conflict but does not directly assist Vimla.
- Option 2: Advising Vimla to seek compensation directly addresses her tarnished reputation and financial loss.
- Option 3: Informing other domestic helps might lead to gossip and unintended consequences.
- Option 4: Quitting the job is an emotional reaction that does not guarantee Vimla’s reinstatement.
- Option 5: Divulging information to Vimla’s employers could harm Sharda’s reputation and lead to further complications.
Step 3: Conclude the best action. Option 2 is the most constructive and practical approach to help Vimla.
Final Answer: (2)
The news of the discovery of the lost ring eventually became public. The domestic helps in the society were chagrined by the treatment meted out to Vimla and the fact that the news of the discovery was not made public immediately. They wanted to ensure that they would not get targeted every time if something goes missing.
Which of the following policy options will BEST minimize the chance of employers suspecting their domestic workers of theft in the future?
Which of the following policy options will BEST minimize the chance of employers suspecting their domestic workers of theft in the future?
- The domestic workers will undergo a daily search by the security guards when leaving the society.
- When a domestic worker is terminated on suspicion of theft without proof, they will have to be paid at least one month’s salary in full.
- The current address and contact details of all domestic workers should be submitted to the housing society.
- If there is a suspicion of theft, the security guards will first conduct a thorough search of the affected house.
- When a domestic worker is terminated on suspicion of theft, the employer will have to publicly apologize if the domestic worker can prove their innocence.
The Correct Option is A
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Identify key concerns. Employers often suspect domestic workers without concrete proof. Policies that deter baseless accusations and ensure accountability for employers can address these concerns.
Step 2: Evaluate the options.
- Option 1: Daily searches are invasive and likely to erode trust between employers and workers.
- Option 2: A one-month salary payment might deter employers but does not restore a worker’s reputation.
- Option 3: Submitting contact details does not address the issue of wrongful accusations.
- Option 4: Thorough searches are logical but insufficient to restore trust after accusations.
- Option 5: Public apologies can deter false accusations and rebuild trust, making it the most impactful policy.
Step 3: Conclude the best policy. Option 5 directly addresses the issue of accountability and restores trust between domestic workers and employers.
Final Answer: (5)
Top Questions on Caselets
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