Business Ethical Responsibilities
Role of ethics officer
Question 1
The three rights and responsibilities of employees based on the scenario include the right to health and safety, the right to be protected from discrimination, and the responsibility to perform in line with the company’s mission and vision. The employees often have the right health and safety since their workplaces should be free from any object that might cause physical and psychological injuries. The employees’ right to health and safety is usually provided by various federal legislation which require the employees to set a safe work environment that would not induce any physical or psychological injuries to the employees. For instance, OSHA typically requires the employers to create a safe work environment, and it imposes some conditions for the organizations regarding the safety of their works. Failure to attain OSHA requirements usually make the employers to be held accountable for the injuries sustained by the workers in their line of duty. Similarly, employees have the right to be protected from discrimination. Employers should not discriminate against their workers based on any ground, and it is offensive for the organizations to discriminate against their employees. Various federal laws like the Civil Right Act and Equality Act of 2010 make it illegal to discriminate against workers or potential hires based on employees’ specific personal attributes. Furthermore, the employees are responsible for offering quality service, which aligns with the organization’s mission and vision; they should be top performers. This will consequently assist in fostering the performance and sustainability of their organization in the competitive business environment.
Question 2
The ethical responsibilities of an employer include paying the employees and keeping them safe. The employer is responsible for keeping the employees safe by providing a safe work environment free from objects and stressors that might cause physical and mental injuries to the employees. The enactment of OSHA in 1970 stipulated the employers’ responsibilities, which require them to create a safe work environment for their workers. Furthermore, employers have the responsibility of paying their workers for the services they offer to the organization. Employers must pay at least a minimum wage, together with other benefits associated with working. For instance, employers should pay their workers overtime alongside other bonuses associated with being employed. The payment should be fairly done without discrimination based on gender, age, race, nationality, religion, or sexual orientation.
Question 3
The ethical dilemma that demonstrates employee comprehension of the company’s ethical standard is the case that involves the marketing of expired consumable products to the customers of the company. The employee is at a crossroads on whether to sell the products without and make a profit without being noticed by the company or avoid selling the products to maintain the company’s ethical standards. The company prides itself on only engaging in ethical business practices. The firm does not sell expired products since it usually disposes of all the expired products not to be sold to the customers. The employee knows that it is ethically wrong to sell expired products since the action is not in line with the company’s ethical standards. However, the need to make money and profit has made the employee be in an ethical dilemma on whether to sell the products to the consumer or stick to the company’s ethical standards. Selling the products would make the employee receive a considerable amount of money. Simultaneously, failing to sell the products will make the employee lose money and maybe stand a chance of being fired by the company if it comes to its attention. In this case, the employee is, therefore, in an ethical dilemma on what to do, being that both actions have a repercussion.