Is the following statement true? Fidelity to clients is secondary to fidelity to employers because employers pay counselors' salaries and can terminate employment at any time.

Is the following statement true? Fidelity to clients is secondary to fidelity to employers because employers pay counselors' salaries and can terminate employment at any time.

• A. It depends
• B. Not enough information
• C. False
• D. True

Answer: (C)

Fidelity means being loyal to and keeping commitments to clients, including protecting their confidentiality and acting in their best interests. In counseling ethics, the primary obligation is to the client, not to the employer. Employers can influence how you work through policies and supervision, but they do not override a counselor’s duty to prioritize client welfare. If an employer asks you to disclose confidential information or engage in practices that could harm a client, you must follow professional ethics, seek appropriate supervision, and address or resolve the conflict—up to and including changing positions if necessary. Because of that, the statement is not correct. Fidelity to clients is not secondary to fidelity to employers; client welfare takes precedence in ethical practice.

Fidelity means being loyal to and keeping commitments to clients, including protecting their confidentiality and acting in their best interests. In counseling ethics, the primary obligation is to the client, not to the employer. Employers can influence how you work through policies and supervision, but they do not override a counselor’s duty to prioritize client welfare. If an employer asks you to disclose confidential information or engage in practices that could harm a client, you must follow professional ethics, seek appropriate supervision, and address or resolve the conflict—up to and including changing positions if necessary.

Because of that, the statement is not correct. Fidelity to clients is not secondary to fidelity to employers; client welfare takes precedence in ethical practice.