EY Fires US Employees for Completing Multiple Online Training Courses at Once

Photo : Reuters

Ernst & Young (EY) recently fired dozens of employees in the US for simultaneously attending multiple online training courses during the company’s learning week earlier this year. The dismissals were described by EY as “appropriate disciplinary action,” with the firm asserting that attending more than one course at a time violated the company’s ethical standards. This incident has ignited an internal debate on the boundaries of multitasking and business ethics within the firm.

According to reports, EY justified its decision by stating that the behavior went against the company’s core values. “Our core values of integrity and ethics are at the forefront of everything we do. Appropriate disciplinary action was recently taken in a small number of cases where individuals were found to be in violation of our global code of conduct and US learning policy,” the firm said. The terminations occurred last week, but the fallout has prompted discussions among staff regarding whether the punishment fits the alleged violation.

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One individual impacted by the dismissals indicated that EY’s internal messaging actually encouraged employees to join as many sessions as possible during the learning week. “Their emails marketing EY Ignite actually encouraged us to join as many sessions as our schedule allowed,” the person said, adding, “We all work with three monitors. I was hoping to hear new ideas that I could bring to the table to separate myself from others.” This perspective highlights how some employees felt that multitasking during training was encouraged, not discouraged.

Another former employee who was let go stated that the company fosters a culture of multitasking and that the expectations for billing hours contribute to the problem. “If you are forced to bill 45 hours a week and do many more hours of internal work, how can it not?” they asked, pointing to the high demands placed on staff as a key reason why they might feel compelled to attend multiple courses at once.

A third former employee weighed in on the hypocrisy they perceive within the firm. “I know a partner who will do two (client) calls and switch their camera on and off depending on who he is talking to. If this is unethical, then that is unethical, too,” they argued, suggesting that multitasking is prevalent throughout the company, not just among junior staff.

While EY maintains that the sackings were a necessary response to an ethical breach, some employees see it as a severe and unjust punishment. One current employee called the response “just bizarre,” adding, “Perhaps reduce their rating, deduct bonus, or even delay promotion, but simply terminating them effective immediately is just cruel... If this was so important, then implement better systems.” 

The controversy has shone a light on the balance between productivity, ethics, and corporate culture at EY. Following the dismissals, the firm updated its policies, making it clear that employees are expected to “be present for all content and class interactions” during training events. The employees who were fired reportedly did not receive severance packages, further intensifying the internal backlash.

This incident has raised broader questions about how companies manage workplace expectations and whether multitasking, a common practice in many fast-paced industries, should be considered an ethical violation when it comes to internal training. While EY stands by its decision, the debate over the appropriateness of the action and the firm's culture of multitasking is far from settled.

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