The ethical concept that moral decisions are those that best maintain the rights of those effected people affected by them.
The moral rights approach asserts that human beings have fundamental rights and liberties that cannot be taken away by an individual’s decision. Thus an ethically direct decision is one that best maintain the rights of those people affected by it.
Six moral rights should be considered during decision making:
1) The right of free consent: Individuals are to be treated only as they knowingly and freely consent to be treated.
2) The right to privacy: Individuals can choose to do as they please away from work and have control of information about their private life.
3) The right of freedom of conscience: Individuals may refrain from carrying out any order that violates their moral norms and religious norms.
4) The right of free speech: Individuals may criticize truthful ethics or legality actions of others.
5) The right to due process: Individuals have a right to an impartial hearing and fair treatment.
6) The right to life and safety: Individuals have a right to live without endangerment or violation of their health and safety
To make ethical decisions managers need to avoid interfering with the fundamental rights of others. For example, a decision to eavesdrop on employees violates the right to privacy. Sexual harassment is unethical because it violates the right to freedom of conscious. The right of free speech would support whistle blowers who call attention to illegal or inappropriate actions within a company.