A licensed professional is asked by their employer to perform a professional task within their competency. The task is neither illegal nor in…

The professional's primary duties are to the public, employer, clients, and the profession. When a task conflicts with personal morals but not with legal or professional ethical obligations, the professional should engage in open communication. The most appropriate action is to inform the employer of their unwillingness to perform the task due to personal reasons. This respects the employer-employee relationship, allows the employer to reassign the task, and upholds the professional's personal integrity without escalating the situation unnecessarily. This is often referred to as "conscientious objection," which is a recognized right provided it does not endanger the public.

A. Ignoring the request is unprofessional and insubordinate, potentially damaging the relationship with the employer and leading to disciplinary action.

B. The regulator's mandate is to address professional misconduct and incompetence, not conflicts of personal morality that do not violate the Code of Ethics.

D. Initiating a petition is an adversarial approach and is inappropriate for a personal moral conflict, especially before direct communication has been attempted.

1. Andrews, G. C. (2019). Canadian Professional Engineering and Geoscience: Practice and Ethics (6th ed.). Nelson. (Chapter 4, Section "Conflict Between Professional Ethics and Employer's Directives," pp. 68-69, discusses resolving conflicts, with an emphasis on communication and conscientious refusal).

2. APEGS Code of Ethics, Guideline 1. The Code requires professionals to act with fairness and loyalty to their associates, employers, and clients, which implies open communication over ignoring requests.