Ethics in the employment context is perhaps the most universal topic in business
ethics since nearly every person will have the experience of being employed.
While legislators and the courts have addressed many aspects of the working environment,
countless ethical issues remain that these regulatory and judicial bodies
have left unresolved. The law provides guidance for thinking about ethical issues
in the workplace, but such issues go well beyond legal considerations.
This chapter explores those areas of ethical decision making in the workplace
where the law remains relatively fluid and where answers are not easily found by simply calling the company lawyer. Issues may also arise where the law does seem
clear but, for one reason or another, it is insufficient to protect the interests of all
stakeholders. We will examine various ethical challenges that face the employee,
whether a worker on an assembly line, the manager of a restaurant, or the CEO of
a large corporation, and the nature of employer responsibilities. While individual
perspectives may change, similar conflicts and stakeholders present themselves
across business settings.
As you examine each issue raised in this chapter, consider how you might
employ the ethical decision-making process we have discussed to reach the best
possible conclusion for the stakeholders involved. Severe time constraints, limited
information, and pressure usually accompany these challenging business
decisions. However, though using the ethical decision-making process may seem
cumbersome at the outset, once the process becomes embedded in the professional
landscape and culture, its effectiveness and efficiency in resolving these
issues will become apparent. In fact, utilizing an ethical decision-making process
will avoid later hurdles, thus removing barriers to progress and momentum. Let
us consider the issues that exist in the current workplace environment to test the
effectiveness of the ethical decision-making process.