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Business and Society: Corporate Strategy, Public Policy, Ethics, 10/e

James Post, Boston University
Anne T Lawrence, San Jose State University
James Weber, Duquesne University

Employees and the Corporation

Chapter Objectives

Employees and employers are engaged in a critical relationship affecting the corporation's performance. There is a basic economic aspect to this relationship. Employees provide labor for the firm; employers compensate workers for their contribution of skill or productivity. Yet, also present in the employee-employer exchange are numerous social, ethical, legal, and public policy issues. Attention to the multiple aspects of this association can benefit the firm, its workers, and society.

This chapter focuses on these key questions and objectives:

1

What rights do workers have to organize and bargain collectively?

2

As government regulation of employee safety and health issues increases, what are the obligations of business to protect workers?

3

Do employers have a duty to provide job security to their workers?

4

To what extent do employees have a right to privacy? Can businesses legitimately monitor employee communications, police romance in the office, test for drugs or alcohol, or subject employees to honesty tests?

5

Do employees have a duty to blow the whistle on corporate misconduct, or should employees always be loyal to their employer?

6

What are the special obligations to multinational corporations to their employees around the world?

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