Ethical Concerns in Human Resources Ethics refers to fundamental principles of right and wrong; ethical behavior is behavior that is consistent with those principles. HRM decisions should be ethical, but the evidence suggests that is not always the case. Many ethical issues in the workplace involve HRM. In the context of ethical human resource management, HR managers must view employees as having basic rights. This activity is important because it will give you an opportunity to examine the four principles for ethical behavior and the basic rights employees should expect in the work environment.
HR managers must view employees as having basic rights, for such a view reflects ethical principles embodied in the U. S. Constitution and Bill of Rights. Organizations often face situations in which the rights of employees are affected. Ethical, successful companies act according to four principles: emphasizing mutual benefits, employees assuming responsibility for the actions of the company, companies having a sense of purpose or vision that employees value, and emphasizing fairness. The goal of this activity is to discuss ethical issues in human resource management.
Read each work situation, then correctly match it to the ethical concern it represents.
1. Right of freedom of speech
2. Right of privacy
3. Right of freedom of conscience
4. Right to due process
5. Right of free consent
Match each of the options above to the items below.
A. Mike, a new employee, was distressed to learn that he was expected to help with the illegal dumping of medical waste.
B. One of the important messages of HIPPA (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) is the need to keep employee health records confidential.
C. Sharon complains because the employer hired her for the day shift, but now she is expected to work the midnight shift.
D. Many companies establish Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), which offer employees many important benefits, including a complaint process so that employees will feel free to share their concerns.
E. Ed felt he was being demoted because of his age, not of his performance, so he asked for a meeting with the director of HR.