The report said a supervisor at the Manhattan office had ordered the backdating of reports, which are supposed to be filed monthly.

Nearly half of working Americans say that at some point they've had to choose between what a supervisor ordered and what they thought was right.

In another, he said, a supervisor ordered him to destroy records.

Sometimes, the supervisors order their officers to recover an abandoned vehicle outfitted with a hidden camera and money or drugs left on a seat.

Mr. Georgian said he suspects that supervisors routinely ordered workers to take steps to reduce the likelihood of finding problems in the water.

Finally, after a gust nearly whipped away the carpet, a supervisor gave in to the inevitable and ordered that the photo session move indoors.

One worker said supervisors had ordered her to put off abuse investigations for longer than the 24 hours mandated in state law.

The direct supervisor may order an employee to attend a meeting.

But last February, her supervisor ordered her to withhold her findings, she said.

When he paused to rest, a supervisor brusquely ordered him back to his mop.