Chapter 4 Employee Rights and Discipline. (Business Ethics) pdf

Business Ethics

1. Employee Rights and Discipline
Business Ethics
Abdulahi Abukar “ ABAJEY”

2. Inthischapterwewillexploreissues,policies,and
problemsrelatedtoethics,fairtreatment,discipline,
andtheterminationofemployees.Withtherecent
eventsatEnron,WorldCom,andotherfirms,ethicshas
becomeamajorissueintoday’sworld.Let’sspend
sometimediscussingwhathaschangedtomakethisan
issue.
Istheremoreunethicalbehavior,havestandards
changed,orisitsimplythattoday’smediaand
communicationsshedmorelightonperpetual
problems?
Abdulahi Abukar “ ABAJEY”

3. Employeerightsaretheentitlementsand
protectionsthatemployeesaregrantedunder
laborlaw.
Employeerightsreferstoavarietyofmeasures
thatsafeguardemployeesintheworkplace.
Theserightsvaryfromcountrytocountry,buttypically
includetherighttoa ,therightto ,
therightto workingconditions,andthe
right to .
ManyemployeerightsarealsoprotectedbytheUniversal
DeclarationofHumanRights,whichguaranteesall
workerstherighttofreedomofassociation,therightto
collectivebargaining,andtherighttostrike.
Abdulahi Abukar “ ABAJEY”

4. Employeerightsareasetofprotectionsand
benefitsthatemployeesareentitledtounderlaw.
Theserightsvaryfromcountrytocountry,but
typicallyincludetherighttoasafeandhealthy
workplace,therighttoaminimumwage,the
righttoovertimepay,therighttounionize,and
therighttotakelegalactionagainstanemployer.
Allemployeesareworkers,butnotall
workersareemployees.Anemployeehasall
therightsaworkerhas,plussomeextra
rightsandresponsibilities.
Youmayhavetobeemployedfora
minimum,continuousperiodoftimebefore
youqualifyforsomeemployeerights.
Manycountriesalsohavelawsthatprotectemployeesfrom
discriminationandharassmentintheworkplace.
Abdulahi Abukar “ ABAJEY”

5. Rights
That which belongs to a person by law,
nature, or tradition.
Employer Responsibilities
Obligations to perform certain tasks and duties.
Negligence
is the failure to use a reasonable amount of care when you hire
the employee such failure results in injury to another person.
Negligent hiring
Is a legal doctrine that places liability (duty of care) on the
employer for actions of its employees during the course and
scope of their employment.
Workplace safety
Abdulahi Abukar “ ABAJEY”

6. EmploymentContract
Anagreementthatformallyoutlines
thedetailsofemployment.
ContractualRights
Rightsbasedonaspecificcontract
betweenemployerandemployee.
Canbespelledoutformallyin
writtenemploymentcontractsor
impliedinemployeehandbooks
andpublishedpolicies..
ImpliedContract
Theideathatacontractexists
betweentheemployerandthe
employeebasedontheimplied
promisesoftheemployer.
Abdulahi Abukar “ ABAJEY”

7. StatutoryRights
Rightsbasedonspecificlawsandstatutespassedbyfederal,
state,andlocalgovernments.
Equalemploymentopportunity
Collectivebargaining
EmployeePrivacyRights
Federalandstatecourtsgenerallyviewtheprivacyrightsof
employeesasminimal.
Thereisalackofcomprehensiveandconsistentbodyofprivacy
protection,whetherfromlawsorfromcourtdecisions.’
JobProtectionRights
Psychologicalcontract
Istheexpectationofafairexchangeof
employmentobligationsbetweenan
employeeandemployer.
Abdulahi Abukar “ ABAJEY”

8. Non-CompeteAgreements
Prohibitindividualswhoquitfromcompetingwithan
employerinthesamelineofbusinessforaspecified
periodoftime.
Non-piracyagreementsbarformer
employeesfromsolicitingbusinessfrom
formercustomersandclientsforaspecified
periodoftime.
Non-solicitationofcurrentemployees
agreementspreventaformeremployee
encouragingformerco-workerstojoina
differentcompany,oftenacompetitor.
Intellectualpropertyandtradesecrets
preventformeremployeesfromrevealing
keycompetitiveinformation.
Abdulahi Abukar “ ABAJEY”

9. Employment Practices
LiabilityInsurance(EPLI)
Coversemployer’scosts
forlegalfees,settlements,
andjudgmentsassociated
withemployment-related
actionssuchas:
Abdulahi Abukar “ ABAJEY”

10. Thereareanumberoflegalaspectsofemployeerights.
Themostimportantrightistherightto
,whichmeansthatemployeeshavetherightto
joinornotjoinaunion.Employeesalsohavetherightto
collectivebargaining,whichmeanstheycannegotiate
withtheiremployer and .
Employeesareprotectedfrom and
intheworkplace,andtheyhavetherighttoa
safeandhealthyworkplace.Theyalsohavetherightto
receivefairwagesandovertimepay.
Finally,employeeshavetherighttofileacomplaintifthey
believe .
Abdulahi Abukar “ ABAJEY”

11. Companiesare
•movingtomoreprecisetests(thatdonotusebodyfluids)
•communicatingclearpoliciesandprocedures
•relatingthetestingprogramtosafetyandjob
performance
EvenorganizationsnotcoveredbytheDrug-Free
WorkplaceActconductdrugtesting.
Forapplicants:
•itshouldbedoneafterajobofferismade
•thosewhofailareusuallynolonger
considered
Forcurrentemployees,it:
•offersrehabilitationtothosewhofail
•communicatesthatdrugswillnotbetolerated
Abdulahi Abukar “ ABAJEY”

12. writtenteststogetapplicantsto
revealinformationabouttheir
integrity
legal alternative to polygraph
used to predict theft and drug use
multiplequestionsonthe
sametopictoassess
consistencyofresponses
shouldn’tbesolecriterion
forahiringdecision
Abdulahi Abukar “ ABAJEY”

13. Everyonehasrightsintheworkplace.Employeerights
arethemoralorlegalentitlementanemployeehasto
haveordosomething,aspertainingtoworktoensure
fairtreatment.Theseare10employeerightsevery
employeeshouldyoushouldknowit:
1.
Apay-slipshouldbegivenontheday
yougetpaid,orbefore.Itmustshowa
detailedbreakdownofthepayyou’re
gettingfortherelevanttimeperiod,
plusanydeductionssuchastaxand
NationalInsurance.
Abdulahi Abukar “ ABAJEY”

14. Discriminationoccurswhensomeoneistreatedunfairlyinthe
workplacebecauseofcharacteristicsprotectedunderoflaw.
Discriminationcanbedirectorindirect.
takesplacewhentheunfairtreatmentis
becauseoftheprotectedcharacteristic.Forexample,ifapregnant
womanwasabsentduetomorningsicknessandanemployerused
thiswhentakingdisciplinaryactionagainsttheirattendancerecord,
thiswouldbedirectdiscrimination.
takesplacewhenrulesthatapplytoa
groupofemployeesorapplicantsarereasonableintheory,butless
fairtoaspecificprotectedcharacteristicinpractice.
Forexample,ifallemployeesarerequiredtoworkoneSaturdaya
month,thiswouldbeindirectdiscriminationagainstemployeesof
theJewishfaithbecauseSaturdayisareligiousdayforthem.
Abdulahi Abukar “ ABAJEY”

15. UndertheHealthandSafety
atWorkAct(1974),
employershaveadutyto
provideasafe,healthy
environmentfortheir
employees.
Thisincludesproviding
facilitiessuchastoilets,wash
basinsandcleandrinking
water,keepingtheworkplace
clean,ventilatedandwelllit,
and maintainingany
equipmentused.
Statutory sick pay (SSP) is a U.K.-
government mandated compensation
that employers pay to employees
who are too ill to work.
SSP regulations require employers to
pay a minimum of £95.85 per week
for a maximum of 28 weeks.
Eligible employees can get Statutory
Sick Pay (SSP) of £95.85
per week. You must:
Have done some work for your
employer
Earn an average of at least £120 per
week before tax
Been ill, self-isolating or shielding
for at least four days in a row
(including non-working days).
Abdulahi Abukar “ ABAJEY”

16. Maternityleaveand
pay
Employeeshavetheright
to takeStatutory
MaternityLeave,whichis
52weeks.
•Thefirst26weeksisknown
asOrdinaryMaternityLeave
•Thelast26weeksisknown
asAdditionalMaternity
Leave
Allyouremployeerights
areprotectedwhileyou’re
onmaternityleave.
Paternityleaveandpay
Employeeshavetherighttotake
paternityleaveiftheirpartnerhas
ababy,providingtheygivethe
correct notice.
Youmusthavebeencontinuously
employedbythesameemployer
foratleast26weeksuptoanyday
inthe15thweekbeforethebabyis
due(knownasthequalifying
week).
Youcanchoosetotakeoneortwo
weeks.Theymustbetakeninone
goandyourleavemustendwithin
56daysofthebirth.
Allyouremployeerightsare
protectedwhileyou’reonpaternity
leave.
Abdulahi Abukar “ ABAJEY”

17. Employeeswhohaveworkedcontinuously
forthesameemployerforatleast26weeks
havetherighttorequestflexibleworking
(knownasmakingastatutoryapplication).
Youcanmakethisapplicationonceper
year.
Youmustwritetoyouremployertomake
therequestandincludethefollowing
information:
•Thedate
•Astatementthatthisisastatutoryrequest
•Detailsofhowyouwanttoworkflexibly
•Whenyouwanttostart
•Anexplanationofhowflexibleworking
couldaffectthebusinessandhowthiscan
bedealtwith
•Astatementsayingifandwhenyoumadea
previousapplicationforflexibleworking.
Employersmustprovide
employeeswhoworkafive-
dayweekatleast28daysof
paidannualleaveperyear.This
canincludebankholidays.
Youcanaccrueholiday
entitlementduringmaternity,
paternityandadoptionleave
andwhileoffsick.
Abdulahi Abukar “ ABAJEY”

18. Therearestatutoryminimumnoticeperiods:
Oneweek’snoticemustbegivenyouhaveworkedbetweenonemonthand
twoyears
Youareentitledtooneweekforeveryyearworked,uptoamaximumof12
weeks,ifyouhaveworkedbetweentwoand12years
Theminimumstatutorynoticeperiodsapplyevenifyour
employmentcontractstatesashorterlengthoftime.
Ifyourcontractgivesahighernoticeperiod,youhavethe
righttoreceivethelongernoticeperiod.
Aminimumnoticeperiodisthelengthof
timeyouremployermustgiveyoubefore
youremploymentends,orthatyougive
anemployerbeforeyouleavetheir
service.Bothoftheseshouldbedetailed
inyourcontract.
Abdulahi Abukar “ ABAJEY”

19. You have the right to receive statutory redundancy pay if
you’ve been working for your employer for two or more
years, with length of service capped at 20 years.
You’ll receive:
Half a week’s pay for each full year you were under 22
One week’s pay for each full year you were between the ages of 22
and 40
One-and-a-half week’s pay for each full year you were
aged 41 or more.
Weekly pay is calculated as the average you earned per
week over the 12 weeks before the day you received your
redundancy notice. You can calculate your redundancy
pay on the government website.
Abdulahi Abukar “ ABAJEY”

20. Employersmustgivealawfulreasoniftheychoosetoterminate
anemploymentcontract.Theymustalsogivetheagreedamount
ofnoticeinthecontract(unlessthisislowerthanthestatutory
minimumnoticeperiod),andfollowafairprocedurethroughout
theprocess.
Afairdismissaloccursforoneofthefollowingreasons:
1.Yourconduct
2.Yourabilitytodothejob
3.Redundancy
4.Younolongermeetalegal
requirementnecessarytocarryout
yourjob(forexample,ifyouhadto
drivebutlostyourlicense)
Abdulahi Abukar “ ABAJEY”

21. THANK YOU!
[email protected]
ABAJEY