Ethics at the Workplace
Chapter 4
• List the universal duties and rights of employees.
• Discuss at a fundamental level the issue of employee theft, including thefts of physical assets and trade secrets, from the
perspectives of employer and employee.
• Discuss at a fundamental level the issue of conflict of interests that may arise in the workplace from the perspectives of
employer and employee. 
• Illustrate the steps that an employee should take when caught in a clearly defined conflict of interest situation. 
• Discuss at a fundamental level the issues of discrimination and stereotyping in the workplace.
• Discuss at a fundamental level the issue of occupational safety and health in the workplace, including the Malaysian
context. 
• Discuss at a fundamental level the issue of employees’ rights to due process in the context of termination of service,
dismissal and disciplinary actions.
• Discuss at a fundamental level the issue of whistle-blowing in the workplace and its justifications.
• Express concerns or justified opinions on the issues of ethics in the workplace.
Employee Duties

Employee Duties Examples of Ethical Issues Involved

Duty to comply with labour •Acceptable level of performance

contract •Work quality
•Loyalty to the firm

Duty to comply with the law •Bribery

•Product safety

Duty to respect the •Working time

employer’s property  •Use of company resources for private purposes
•Protection of trade secrets
•Theft, fraud, embezzlement
•Conflict of interests 
Employee Duties

Employee Rights Examples of Ethical Issues Involved

Right to freedom from •Diversity

discrimination  •Equal opportunity
•Affirmative action
•Reverse discrimination
•Sexual and racial harassment

Right to privacy  •Monitoring

•Health and drug testing
•Work-life balance
•Electronic privacy and data protection
 ...continued

Employee Rights Examples of Ethical Issues Involved

Right to due process  •Promotion

•Dismissal 
•Disciplinary proceedings

Right to participation and •Trade unions

association •Participation in company’s decisions

Right to safe and healthy •Working conditions

working conditions  •Occupational safety and health 
...continued

Employee Rights Examples of Ethical Issues Involved

Right to fair wages   •Pay 

•Industrial action
•New forms of work

Right to freedom of •Belief, religion and worship

conscience and speech •Whistle-blowing 

Right to work •Fair treatment in the interview

•Non-discriminatory rules for recruitment
Employee Theft
• Employee Theft
• Employee Theft
• Any stealing, use or misuse of an employer’s assets without permission.

  
t

• T
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• Trade secrets
• Trade secrets