A Case of Racial Discrimination
Chapman did not handle the case well. He should have investigated the allegations personally. This would have solidified the allegations or completely diluted the basis of those allegations which would have prevented a huge chance of possible false accusations. Additionally, it is imprudent to conclude that a man had been sexually harassed. An investigation would reveal if Peters had wanted sexual favors from Anderson leading to a cover-up accusation.
Secondly, he should not have called Anderson into a room alone to ask her about the situation. Rather, it would have been comparatively prudent if he called both of them and asked them to state what had happened. After that, Chapman should have stated the hospitals policy on such issues and warned the two parties. If possible, he should have recorded the conversion between the three to serve as evidence.
I do not think Peters had any basis for a sexual harassment claims against Anderson. If anything, I think it was a cover-up from Peters, which had resulted from possible threats from Anderson to report a possible harassment claim to Chapman. It is easier for a woman to report a sexual harassment claim compared to a man. This is a true social belief. Additionally, Anderson resigned later. This is a possible gesture of resentment after a nasty incident.
If I were Chapman, I would have spelt out the hospitals policy towards sexual harassment. This would deter possible offenders from trying to do a similar thing. Consequences would include dismissals, unpaid leaves and suspensions. It is also critical for employees to understand social boundaries while at work. In this case, the two parties were not at work during the incident. Normally, this is out of the hospital’s control.
The Tough Screener
The law covers a company with any number of employees. This is because the focus is not on the number of employees; it is on the workplace environment. Hence, your company in New York should observe the fact that an employee working in an environment that is conducive enough, should be allow for performance and serenity.
The company did not have the right to ask questions related to personal lives, especially if the questions did not lead to a direct ability or inability to conduct the task. Legally, the company should ask questions related to work. For example, since it is an online firm where there are minimal movements, asking an interviewee about a castration is not proper. It may be proper if the work for which the interview is conducted requires bodily fitness e.g. the military. Hence, the bottom-line is the task for which a person enters into the interview. Additionally, the company should state this explicitly while advertising for the job.
Dan and Alex created an unfavorable environment for Ruth when they engaged in boyish talk bordering on profanity. The company should have principles that guide decorum in the office. These principles should be strict and adhere to the codes of ethics of the industry at large. Each profession has its code of ethics. However, since the company did not have such principles, I think Mel and Jennifer should initiate these policies first.
As I have mentioned earlier, the company needs to formulate corporate policy regarding decorum in an office environment. The human resource department should handle these and other Personnel Management Practices in the company. This will reduce instances of possible misdemeanor in the office and if it happens, corrective measures will be there.
Back with Vengeance
A good appraisal process would have captured such bad behavior over time. Some employees are troublemakers. The best thing is that they exhibit that behavior through signs that any person, who is keen enough, can decipher. In this case, the employers would have noted possible allusions to violence and cases where the employee does not need correction among others. This would have acted as pointers and warning signs.
Additionally, during employment appraisal it is imperative that an employer looks into the past of an employee. Teenage tendencies are quite informative. For example, what activities did the person involved into? If it is sports, than what kind of sport? The answer to these questions points to the person that a company deals with. At the workplace, it is possible that the person engaged in office party fights frequently.
In an appraisal process, a company comes up with a formula that leads to the employee of interest. The whole point is to incorporate in the organization an employee who fits perfectly to the ethics and organizational culture. Hence, it is critical to carry out a personality study, a historical assessment and a behavioral study. All these will inform the organization about the person they intend to hire.
If a person who makes firearm threats confronts me in an interview, it is logical that I should not hire that person. Secondly, I would report the person to police. This is due to the amounts to extortion and violence. This person is capable of doing bodily harm to anyone in the organization. He can solicit for anything, including sexual favors, using violence. Hence, he/she is already a threat to any organization.
Allstate’s Disappearing Agents
Reducing the number of employees in a company is ethical. By all standards, a boss can fire a non-performing employee. Therefore, it follows that it is not the act that is bad but the manner in which the company conducts it and the reasons behind it. In this case, it is tricky. This is because Allstate forms agencies to create ‘independent contractors’ for the company. However, it goes ahead to interfere with the independency.
There are steps that a company should follow to appear ethical in dismissing its employees. First, the company should award affected employees with compensation. The employer should maintain part of the employees’ pension for some time. This should be the case when it comes to other employer related packages, such as insurance. The recommended duration for these activities is six months. The employee should also receive prior notice of dismissal to prepare psychologically.
A company like Allstate has many responsibilities towards its employees. For example, (just like any other employer) it should pay basic salaries on time, allow for latitude and vertical growth, it should provide a good work environment among others. Specifically, Allstate should not interfere with the activities of its contractors.
A company should not purchase insurance products on the internet. This is because an insurance product is a private affair. Additionally, it is not feasibly possible to assess the integrity of the insured. This may lead to future problems. Currently, the internet is the most unsafe place to conduct a personal business such as purchase of insurance as the sensitive information provided may land in the wrong hands.
The New Safety Program
The first most hazardous condition in a dry cleaner is the floor, which is usually slippery. This means that an employee is in constant danger of skidding off and falling. Secondly, the chemicals used in those stores are poisonous. The importance of the chemicals is to remove stubborn stains. If an employee is not careful, bodily contact with those chemicals may sometimes result in permanent scars or death.
Thirdly, use of electricity, detergents and water is a hazard. Open sockets may lead to electrical shocks and possible death. Lastly, the general environment within a dry cleaner is not favorable to health. This includes humid and high temperatures. A dry cleaner should indentify these conditions and proper measures should be undertaken to ensure proper working conditions. For example, it is critical to have exits all over the place, protective clothing, and fire extinguishers among others.
It is highly advisable to have screening measures to lock out accident-prone individuals. This will reduce the risk associated with insuring these individuals against the hazards I have mentioned. It will also protect the individual from bad health. For those employees who refuse wearing protective clothing such as goggles, it is imperative that the dry cleaner come up with a program to sensitize them on the risks involved. This should act as a revelation to make them wear the clothing. It should also state clearly in its employment policy that this is a requirement within the working area. This will prevent future reluctance to use the goggles and other protective clothing.