Good Working Condition:

Basic Employee Rights

 Working Condition

 refers to the safety and healthfulness of

the workplace, particularly the physical
work environment and the procedures
followed in performing the work.
Note:

Labor history is a witness to some poor and even

dangerous working conditions, long working hours,
insufficient safety measures, exploitation of women and
worst is the child labor-all of which became notorious
when the factory system and sweatshops have been
introduced during the industrial revolution.
Factory
 generally refers to a large establishment
employing scores of people involved in mass
production of industrial or consumer goods.

Sweatshop
is usually a small manufacturing establishment
where tired employees work long hours under
substandard conditions for low wages
 Dimensions of Working Conditions

structure of the workplace -consist of sector affiliation,

employment status, size of the company

physical environment -involves exposure to dangerous substances, heavy

loads and corporal risks

working time issues -weekly hours, commuting time, shift work and
atypical work patterns
organizational environment -job content-refers to repetitive tasks
and pace of work

social environment and psychosocial risks -harassment and

discrimination in offices and factories

Work-related outcomes concerned with perceptions of health risk, work

absences and job satisfaction
What is the so-called Systems
Approach in the Workplace?

Safety engineering
 develop to prevent industrial
accident

 control of the work

environment to reduce or
eliminate hazards
 
What are the ethical principles
that are considered relevant in
the workplace?
 They also recommend that employees
themselves be included in developing and
operationalizing such programs. In all
issues that concern the working conditions,
employee participation usually produces
better quality decision through the
inclusion of diverse interests and
perspectives.
 Should Social responsibility begin
“at home”?
CSR is a policy, an attitude, and a management philosophy in
terms of how employees are treated, and this encompasses a
multitude of business practices, such as fair wages,
nondiscriminatory hiring or equal employment opportunities, the
avoidance of child labor, relations with the unions or organized
labor, the respect for the worker’s rights.
 No one can dispute the importance of corporate social responsibility
and ethical management within the workplace. Ethical management has
been a major factor in business operations,

Note:

Working conditions vary depending on the kind of company, the nature of

the job and position one holds.
 
 Employee participation also increases the credibility of the
decision process and outcome by reducing suspicion of unfair
bias. It may be stressed therefore that creating good working
condition by pushing for social responsibility awareness in the
workplace, among others, is a shared responsibility of both the
employer and the employees.
Needless to say, much can be achieved when both labor and
management are mutually participating in the attainment of
this corporate social responsibility or CSR practice in the
workplace.
 CSR towards the employees is grounded on the basic principles of
the priority of labor over capital, respect for human dignity and human
rights, and social justice.

CSR gurus are saying that any measurement standard for “good”
working conditions must go beyond compliance with the minimum
requirement of the law.
Equal Employment Opportunity

Involves the right of persons to apply and be

evaluated fro employment opportunities without
regard to race, color, religion, age, national
origin, sex, disability, or status of a disabled
(http://www.gsu.edu/oddep/31126.html)

 
Affirmative action

A policy designed to redress past discrimination against

women and minority groups through measures to improve their
economic and educational opportunities;

The term affirmative action refers to policies that take

race, ethnicity, physical disabilities, military career, sex, or a
person's parents' social class
A policy or program providing advantages for people of a minority
group who are seen to have traditionally been discriminated against,
with the aim of creating a more egalitarian society through
preferential access to education, employment, health care, social
welfare, etc.
Policies of governments and other institutions that are designed
to actively promote and advance the status and the social and
occupational participation of groups of people designated by sex,
ethnicity or other shared characteristic

(
http://www.google.com.ph/search?hl=en&cr=countryPH&defl=en&q=defi
ne:affirmative+action&sa=X&ei=VP1MTPfNCI2FrAeo1d25Dg&ved=0CAYQkAE
Job Discrimination

Refers to the unjust act of differentiating one group of

people not on the basis of personal merit but on the basis of
partiality or bias.

Laws protect employees from receiving unequal treatment on the basis of

race, gender, age, citizenship, national origin, religion, marital status,
disability, or labor union activity. When employers use these factors
against their workers, they have committed employment discrimination.
Types of Job
Discrimination
Age Discrimination
Age discrimination refers to an employer making hiring
or promotion decisions based on the employee's age,
according to the EEOC website. This practice is a
violation of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act
(ADEA), which protects people who are 40 and over
. An employer cannot choose to hire an employee because the
selected candidate is younger than others who competed for the job.
During an interview process, employers should not ask the applicant's
age, or the company risks being accused of age discrimination,
particularly if that person is not hired for the job.
 
Unequal Pay
Sex Discrimination
 Employers are also prohibited from discriminating against female
employees, or terminating their employment, due to pregnancy.
Companies are required to investigate allegations of sexual
harassment, and all discrimination complaints, and prevent hostile
work environments by providing ongoing training for current staff
and new employees.
 Stereotypes Against women

 There are fields of occupation, which are traditionally suitable

for women because of their “sensitive, vulnerable and fragile”
nature.
 There are types of work, which may not be fitting to women
due to their biological condition like monthly period.
The inability of women to cope up
with certain job requirements since
their common gender personality
and aptitude traits make them
unsuitable for those jobs.
• Note: Such generalization about women are not only biased or
prejudicial but also untrue. Because of wrong person, women are not
assigned to the tasks traditionally directed to men and the result is that
some women are never given the necessary break to prove themselves
(Burchell and Fagan, 2004).
Employees with Disabilities
Race, Color, or National Origin

 Employers working with diverse employees should be careful

not to display any behavior that could be discriminatory based on
race, color, or national origin. Comments, jokes or statements that
draw unwanted attention to an employee based on any of these
factors could be considered discriminatory.

http://www.ehow.com/list_6552379_types-job-discrimination.html#ixzz0vbMYGD
97
 What Constitutes Discrimination in the
Workplace?

Protected Class

Discrimination only applies to legally protected classes of

people. Federal law--laws passed by the U.S. Congress that apply in all
states)--protect against many types of discrimination, including
pregnancy, age, disability, race, color, national origin, gender and
religion. Most states also have laws that protect the same classes of
people. Additionally, many states also protect against sexual
orientation discrimination.
Tangible Action

The most common type of discrimination is called "tangible employment

action." Tangible employment action occurs when an employee experiences a
significant change in employment status. This would include such actions as
refusing to hire, demoting, refusing to promote, refusing to grant a raise,
diminishing pay or terminating.
Harassment

The other most common type of discrimination is referred to as

either harassment or hostile work environment. Harassment
occurs when the employer or a manager or supervisor of the
employer makes comments or physical gestures that are
outrageous and abusive to an employee within a protected
class.
Legitimate discrimination claims based on hostile work
environment often include repeated slurs, derogatory language
or physical contact. The actions must be severe and pervasive
enough that a reasonably person would find the workplace
abusive and hostile.
Illegal Connection

Discrimination is sometimes difficult to discern because the

discriminator action must be directly connected to the protected class. If
an employer is demeaning and verbally abusive, but the employer's
actions have no connection to the employee's protected class, then the
employer has not committed discrimination.
 What Are the Causes of Discrimination in the
Workplace?
Discrimination in the workplace is upheld through a system where
decision-making power is maintained by one particular group. A
non-compliance to affirmative action causes discrimination.
Identification - Discrimination factors are race, color,
religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or
older), disability or genetic information. These factors cause
discrimination when used to determining applicant status,
promotion potential or disciplinary action.
Pre-employment Screening- Credit rating or economic
status can adversely effect an employment application. The
employer must prove this is essential to the position when
soliciting this information.
Benefits - Other causes for workplace discrimination
are an abusive relationship of employer and employee
through the granting of breaks, leave approval and
work station assignment.
 
Universal Human Rights -"Everyone has the right to
work, to free choice of employment, to just and favorable
conditions of work and to protection against unemployment.
Everyone, without any discrimination, has the right to equal
pay for equal work," as stated by the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights. A violation of these individual rights causes
unlawful discrimination.
Safe Working Conditions- Physical and
psychological safety are basic human rights. Forced
labor, an unsafe or toxic work environment and
unreasonable work hours cause workplace-related
discrimination.
Manager's Duties
Against
Discrimination
The manager of an organization has a legal and moral obligation to fight
discrimination in the workplace. His duties include:

1. following directions given by the Equal Employment Opportunities

Commission,

2. implementing policies and procedures in line with the Civil Rights Act
and

3. dealing with any concerns or complaints members of staff have regarding

discrimination in the workplace.
1. Civil Rights

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, to

monitor and enforce discrimination laws in the workplace.
The Commission will examine a company's procedures and
policies and make suggestions for improvement.
Failure of the manager to follow these suggestions can
result in the Commission enforcing civil penalties, such as
implementation of a positive discrimination program.
Positive discrimination programs seek to repair any
imbalance by hiring more of the discriminated minority.
2. Deal With Complaints and Concerns

The manager is responsible for dealing with any concerns

that a member of staff has regarding discrimination. She
has a duty to investigate every reported case. This
involves interviewing those involved with the
discrimination.
Any direct witnesses and reviewing any CCTV
footage that may exist. The manager has a duty to
prepare a written report, which can be used as
evidence in a court of law if necessary.
The manager has a moral duty to protect the interest of the person
experiencing discrimination and protect their identity as far as
possible. If the matter cannot be resolved within the company, the
manager has a duty to report the discrimination to the authorities
if it is serious, or to provide information and assistance for the
employee to seek help.
 What are the Ethical Principles involved in Job
Discrimination?
Discrimination in the workplace is wrong and socially irresponsible
because of the following reasons:

1. Discrimination in hiring is disservice in the long run.

2. It is actually double jeopardy

3. Most importantly, it is wrong to discriminate a group or an individual

by reason of ethics.
4. When business discriminates, it consciously or unconsciously
affirms that one group is inferior or subordinate to another group.

Example; people from the province are less qualified than those
coming fro the city; or USLT graduates are more qualified than
SPUP; French employees are better than Filipinos.

This is a violation of the fundamental right to be treated as equals!!!!

End of Presentation…

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