True story - happened to me...
I left, on good terms, a company 10 minutes from home for a new job in a town 50 miles away. Couldn't sell the house, so after 2 years of this, the three hour commute was killing me. So I put back in with the old company.
Now, my old boss hemmed and hawwed around on me, which was highly confusing - like I said, good terms. But my dear ol' mother worked there as an assembly worker and spread word I was coming back, which generated alot of publicity. Finally, I was called back, and all was well - for 4 weeks.
At the end of 4 weeks, it was announced that corporate was closing the shop and moving operations to Mexico. I swung by (not at) the plant manager and snarled, "Nice to be back, Ernie. Thanks a $%^^# lot." e never spoke to me again.
Eventually, the full story came out. My old boss, not the plant manager, had been stalling me because he knew what was about to happen, but naturally, couldn't say anything. But when Mom began announcing my impending return to the shop floor, and everyone began wondering where I was (I won a Gold Pentastar award, heh heh) they started asking uncomfortable questions.
So I was hired back, for no other reason, than to allay suspicion the plant was about to close. Talk about hung out to dry.
So in short, no, companies DO have morals and ethics - the morals of a Pharisee and the ethics of a money-changer. You might owe something to good friends and co-workers, but never to the company - by definition, you are an expense waiting to be deemed unnescessary.
One last note - the only job I could find nearby after this fiasco was an injection molding outfit one street over. Place had a reputation as a meatgrinder, but when I was offerred a job elsewhere a week after starting, I turned it down. Said, and I quote, "I agreed to take the position, and I feel obliged to stay and make a go of it."
Two bad decisions in a row. Everything about the place was true - boss was a tyrant, conditions were hell. Took a year and a half to sell my house and get the hell out of there.
So take any and all offers until you find what you want. Don't trouble your conscience about the sake of the firm - you owe them nothing. Hey, it's "right to work", right?
TM