Can I hide the fact that I'm paid for my 'volunteer' work?

• Author: Cohen, Randy
• Position: THE ETHICIST - Brief article - Column

A foundation hired me to start and then help run a philanthropy club at my high school. We raise money for women's health in Mexico. None of the other members of the club are paid. Am I ethically wrong not to tell my classmates or colleges or future employers that I am paid for work they might assume is voluntary? Anna Akullian, Berkeley, California

I PREFER to put this affirmatively: It is good to be open and honest in this situation (as in so many]. There is nothing wrong with your being paid for a job that others do for free. Some people help out at a soup kitchen, for instance, working...