Questions: Whistle-blowing is ethical under all of the following conditions, except: A) when the motivation is financial gain B) when the employee identifies a serious threat of harm C) when the company will cause serious and considerable harm to the public D) when the employee's immediate supervisor does not act, and the internal procedures and chain of command have been exhausted

The answer is A) when the motivation is financial gain.

Whistle-blowing is generally considered unethical when the primary motivation is financial gain. This is because the act of whistle-blowing should be driven by a desire to prevent harm or address wrongdoing, rather than personal profit. Financial motivation can undermine the credibility of the whistle-blower and the integrity of the information being disclosed.

Whistle-blowing is ethical when an employee identifies a serious threat of harm, as it aligns with the moral obligation to prevent harm to others. This is consistent with ethical theories such as utilitarianism, which emphasizes actions that promote the greatest good.

This condition supports ethical whistle-blowing because it involves preventing significant harm to the public. The ethical principle of beneficence, which involves actions that contribute to the welfare of others, supports whistle-blowing in such scenarios.

Whistle-blowing is considered ethical when internal channels have been exhausted without resolution. This demonstrates that the whistle-blower has attempted to address the issue through appropriate internal mechanisms before going public, which is often seen as a responsible approach.