Question

1. A complaint of sexual harassment by a part-time worker in a hardware business was upheld when the Tribunal found that the employer had failed to take sufficient action in relation to the employee's report of inappropriate behaviour. The alleged sexual harassment included kissing, touching her breasts and leg, persistent requests to have a drink outside work hours despite an ongoing refusal, asking for cuddles, telephoning her at home and making repeated unsolicited sexual remarks. Based on any four ethical theories, explain how these acts constitute unethical behaviours at the workplace

Answer 1

Answer:

Sexual harassment is an unethical behavior both at or outside workplace and this can be explained using these ethical theories; DEONTOLOGY, UTILITARIANISM, INDIVIDUAL CHARACTER ETHICS, WORKPLACE INDIVIDUAL ETHICS

1. DEONTOLOGY: This ethical theory states that a person's actions are either bad or good depending on sets of rules, actions are morally right if it is in accordance with the rules, rights et cetera. in this case the behavior does not follow any rules and there is no right given to anybody to harass a woman. This theory shows that these acts were unethical.

2. UTILITARIANISM: this theory supports actions and behaviors that brings happiness and joy to others and frowns at actions that brings sadness and unhappiness to people around us. In this case the employee is harassed which makes her unhappy so this theory labels sexual harassment as an unethical behavior.

3. INDIVIDUAL CHARACTER ETHICS: It says that there are certain qualities of a person that determine their ethics, this includes; gratitude, benevolence, respect but in this case the individual has no such traits present in him because of his disrespect towards a woman, so this theory shows how unethical those acts were.

4. WORKPLACE INDIVIDUAL ETHICS: It says that the development or presence of certain traits show the work ethics of an individual and the traits are honor, work pride, trustworthiness but in this case he has proved that there is no such trait present in him so it constitute unethical behavior at workplace.