Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Question 1: Employee Rights

The organizational leadership is increasingly emphasizing on workforce rights due to the rapid development of the sector in just three decades. The government has made a significant leap forward in the employment industry by ensuring diversity and the empowerment of the minority groups. Besides, gender equality is becoming a critical factor, especially in broadening the employee rights’ scope. Further, the improving justice and the role of courts in the United States ensure the protection of workers from wrongful discharge, as was the case in the mid-1900s. Today, the majority of employees are aware of their rights because the government has conducted an extensive knowledge creation program. In this regard, it is imperative for the organization to protect the workers hence avoiding protests which can derail productivity (Gomez-Mejia, Balkin, & Cardy, 2016, p. 168). The firm’s performance hinges on employee satisfaction. Unless the employees are motivated to work, it is hard for the business entity to improve the investment prospects. Investors refrain from conducting business with biased corporations. Surviving in the modern business environment entails improving the internal working conditions. The company can gain a competitive edge through emphasizing on workforce rights. Some of the rights protecting the employees include free speech, ethics, contractual, statutory, and privacy.

Year-on-year, the federal government, has been updating the employee rights protection acts in the United States. The tightening rules leave no room for a violation because an assigned federal agency oversees the activity in its entirety. Therefore, harassments and discrimination cases have fallen sharply in recent years.

Question 2: Employer Rights

In America, the federal and state government grants the employers a right of dismissing or appointing the employees as per the set regulations and procedures. Also, the company ought to anticipate a reasonable performance from the workers. Nonetheless, the government prohibits the managers from sexual harassment, discrimination, vilification, and victimization of the employees. Occasionally, there are conflicts in the work environment because the organization has not clearly defined the duties and rights of both parties. The employers have a right to retain profits and run the business as they please. They receive these entitlements from the owners and stockholders.

The employees should understand and respect the rights and responsibilities of their employers. Some of the Acts outlining the rights of employers include Employment, Bankruptcy, and Equity Pay. The employers’ obligations must balance with the employees’ entitlements. Revealing the business secrets to the rivaling firms is an abomination for the employee. Besides, the employer can sue the employee if his acts jeopardize the corporate reputation (Gomez-Mejia, Balkin, & Cardy, 2016, p. 172). Most importantly, the company expects his workers to execute their tasks to a high standard but within the legal limits. Lastly, the employer can warn or dismiss the employees if they can hardly explain their absenteeism or late arrival to work.

Question 3: Insubordination

The staffer is not guilty of insubordination because of her refusal to admit sick individuals whose treatment at the facility was unnecessary. The employee has a right to disobey the chain of command and orders from their superiors. First, the employee must be aware of corporate policies and procedures besides determining their legality. In case the corporate activities violate the corporate laws, the employee can willingly boycott service in protest. In any case, the employee can successfully sue the firm for conducting unlawful activities or forcing the staff members to follow suit. Secondly, the employee can disobey a direct order if the patient’s safety is questionable. Some of the illegal activities that the organization engages include luring the patients, fraudulent diagnosis, and unnecessary extension f patient’s stay. Therefore, the management is accountable for these inhumane acts and should answer the charges in the court of law.

            I recommend that the patient should carefully document the ongoing illegal acts in the hospital before whistleblowing. The law enforcers demand evidence for accusations. Otherwise, the whistleblower’s efforts will be in vain. Further, she should consider the legitimacy of the accusation. Understanding whistleblowing consequences to the family and career are also important before proceeding with the case (Gomez-Mejia, Balkin, & Cardy, 2016, p.485). Understandably, there is a little or no legal protection for the private-sector employees hence the need for consulting an attorney. In case the organization fires the whistleblower, she must be aware of the ramification of her decision.

Question 4: Benefits of Whistleblowing

            The organization benefits immensely from the whistleblower’s activity. The business owners desire honesty from the staff members. A corrupt manager is an impediment to the corporate progress since he is the leader and role model to other employees. Exposing his despicable acts marks the beginning of an investigative process that can result in his firing. The stakeholders can also extend the crackdown to the manager’s close confidants hence cleansing the firm of the corruption. The move reinstates confidence in the clients. Also, the company will rededicate itself to success and mission. Further, the exposure sets an example to other staff members that they should be transparent and vocal. In the end, the business performance improves due to the newly adopted culture. Reducing or eliminating the whistleblowing fears involves employee empowerment, awareness creation and transparency in service delivery. Besides, the management and HR staff should guarantee the employees of job security and legal protection in case they reveal corrupt activities (489). Lastly, the management should clarify the corporate policies, terms, and conditions so that the potential whistleblowers can distinguish the wrong from right.

Question 5: No-Dating Policy

            The organization can enforce the no-dating policy if the occupation demands utmost dedication and minimum distraction (Gomez-Mejia, Balkin, & Cardy, 2016, p. 480). For instance, the military employees can be susceptible to the ‘no dating’ policy because of the dangers involved, especially in the war-time. The emotions for couple soldiers on the frontline can ride high as each worries about the other’s safety. Relationships are also uncommon in the spy agencies because the workers deal with sensitive intelligence that can cost lives if divulged to the loved ones.

            On the other hand, smoking cigarettes can be abominable in petroleum corporations or those firms dealing with the production of highly flammable products. The schools also prohibit teachers from smoking in front of the students. The government can encourage high-value employees such as nuclear researchers or rocket scientists from engaging in high-risk activities. Contrastingly, the government workers such as military personnel and FBI agency employees, should not support a specific political candidate because their service is to all the citizens rather than a target group from a particular political party. Lastly, the US government prohibits the workers from all sectors from joining sects like Klu Klux Klan that encourage hatred against the black community and other minority groups. A failure to enforce this policy can result in political instability and violence.

References

Gomez-Mejia, L. R., Balkin, D. B., & Cardy, R. L. (2016). Managing Human Resources. Prentice Hall: Englewood Cliffs, NJ: 467-485.