ethics and legal issues
Post on 22-Nov-2014
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Ethics and Legal Issues
An overview related to the workforce
Focus Question
• Name some traits that employers want when they hire an employee.
Ethics
• Principles of conduct that govern a group or society
Commonly Observed Unethical Behavior
• Lying • Withholding needed information• Abusive or intimidating behavior• Misreporting actual time or hours
worked• Discrimination• Misuse of Internet and email privileges• Theft or misuse of company property
Confidentiality
• Keeping your mouth shut and not sharing information that has been entrusted to you.
How to Handle Unethical Behavior
• Keep a written record. Describe each incident including date and time.
• Check your observations with trusted friends colleagues.
• Gather evidence/proof• Decide whether to remain anonymous or
speak up• Report only facts or observations
Focus Question
• Brainstorm some typical ethical scenarios you may face in the workplace.
Focus Question
• Brainstorm some typical laws that affect workers.
Workplace Rights: Minimum Wage
• Federal government and state governments establish these laws that establish the lowest hourly wage an employer must pay for worker’s services. Current federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour. NJ minimum wage is currently $7.25 and hour although there are proposals in the assembly and senate to increase the minimum wage.
Focus Question
• Do you support a raise in the minimum wage?
Workplace Rights: Compensatory Time
• Some states allow workers to receive time off from work rather than money for working overtime
Workplace Rights: Collective Bargaining
• Laws that allow unions to negotiate with management for better salaries, wages,benefits and working conditions
Workplace Rights: Strikes
• Work stoppage organized by workers in order to force management to accept unions terms in negotiation.
Focus Question
• If your company went on strike would you join them, why or why not?
Workplace Rights: Unemployment Insurance
• Government insurance program that provides financial aid to workers who lose their jobs.
Workplace Rights: Family Leave Act
• Family Leave Act passed in 1993 guarantees employees at companies with more than 50 employees to 12 weeks of personal leave to care for a family member such as a spouse or a child.
Workplace Rights: NJ Family Leave Insurance
Act • As of 1/09, NJ just started
deductions from workers (.09% of wages or about $1.12 per pay period) to pay for NJ family leave insurance which allows workers to take paid time off to take of a sick family member or bond with a newborn or adopted child
Focus Question
• Give an example of prejudice that you have personally witnessed.
Discrimination
• Unequal treatment based on such factors as race, religion, nationality, gender, age, or physical appearance
Equal Pay Act of 1963
• Requires equal pay for men and women for equal work.
Civil Rights Act of 1964
• Bans discrimination in employment based on race, color, creed, religion, gender and national origin.
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
• Protects the rights of individuals with disabilities for example it requires employers provide wheelchairs and other accommodations.
Affirmative Action
• A government plan to provide access to jobs for people who have suffered discrimination in the past
Focus Question
• Do you support affirmative action? Why or why not?
Illegal Immigrants in the Workplace
• Businesses must by law verify that all new employees have proper working papers and identification. Businesses face fines if they hire illegal immigrants.
Focus Question
• How should the government handle issues of illegal immigration?
Services offered by Lawyer
• Lawyers handle many services including: defending clients, wills, deeds, property law, divorce, tax liability, discrimination.
Civil Law
• Laws that apply to conflicts between private parties. Examples include divorce, breach of contract, personal injury.
Contingency Fee
• Most lawyers work on a fee (hourly) basis however some will accept a fee (%) of the amount awarded in civil case.
Settlements
• Mutual agreements between parties in order to avoid going to court . A settlement may include a monetary award or a correction of a situation. Many states require parties to a civil case to try to settle out of court.
Criminal Law
• Government brings an indictment or list of criminal charges against a business or person. Examples include fraud, murder, manslaughter.
Focus Question
• Describe the difference between criminal and civil law.
Summons
• Order to appear in court
Felony
• Serious crime punishable by imprisonment or death such as murder, rape, fraud.
Misdemeanor
• Less serious crimes such as shoplifting, striking another worker.
Focus Question
• Brainstorm what you know about sexual harassment.
Sexual Harassment
• Any unwelcome behavior of a sexual nature. Examples include jokes, gestures, repeated or threatening requests for dates, and unwanted touching.
Quid pro Quo
• Explicit offer of reward/ job promotion for sexual favors or negative job action in exchange for denying sexual favors
•
Hostile Work Environment
• When a workplace climate is hostile to workers based on sexual harassment such as images, jokes, gestures, pornography, unwanted advances
Unwanted Advances
• Repeated unwanted sexual advances towards an employee by a supervisor/co-worker.
How to deal with Sexual Harassment
• Immediately tell the person to stop. Be clear and direct
• Write down what happened, noting date, time and place
How to deal with Sexual Harassment
• Write down witnesses• Comment about how the
harassment affected your work
• Inform a supervisor/Human Resources Department
How to deal with Sexual Harassment
• If not settled to your satisfaction by the company report to the EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Focus Question
• Describe what you would do if your boss made inappropriate sexual advances toward you.
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