Law, Ethics and Corporate Governance

Discussion Questions for Week 2 -Identify the parts of this law that appear to benefit employees In my opinion, the parts of the law that appear to benefit employees are the parts that show that employees cannot be discharged for just any reason. If terminated, the reason must be for a good cause, or not done in retaliation by the employer in addition to the other elements of wrongful discharge in reference to public policy in conjunction with the set forth exemptions. If the reason is not valid and falls under the law or ethics code, the employee has the right to exercise his or her legal rights to seek lost wages and benefits for the stated period of time. He or she also has the right to seek punitive damages. On the other hand, this law also gives the employee the right to resign from a job without punishment as long as guidelines and the code of ethics are not violated. - Identify the parts of this law that appear to benefit employers. The parts that benefit the employer are the parts that state that an employer can terminate an employee for good cause which include poor performance of job duties, disruption of business operations, or any other business reason that the employer finds to be legitimate. In this way, the employers can run their businesses as they want as long as they abide by the public policy. However, the employer must give valid and sufficient proof of such acts. - The state laws protecting whistleblowers vary enormously, but none of them protect whistleblowers who turn to the media first. Discuss why you think this is so. Explain why it either encourages or discourages ethical behavior. It is the belief that the state does not protect whistleblowers who turn to the media first because by doing so they have eliminated the possible help or involvement of the state due to the fact that it becomes public knowledge and therefore no longer falls under public policy. By alerting the media prior to a higher authority, whistleblowers heightened the public which may cause a negative affect of how the company is viewed which in turn could lead to a drop in sales or stock which affects the economy and the government as a whole. In addition, businesses and corporations are subject to public harm and individuals within the company may face civil or criminal liability. Also, whistleblowers may put their jobs and lives in danger by turning to the media first. In my opinion, it encourages ethical behavior because it makes notice to employees that it is ethical to dispose any wrong doings of a company or corporation. However, it is a right and wrong way to go about doing so and if done the right way, one most likely will not put himself or herself along with his or her employer in a compromising or uncomfortable situation.

Halbert, T., & Ingulli, E. (2009). Law & ethics in the business environment: 2010 custom edition (6th ed.) Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning.