Current Ethical Issues in Business for University of Phoenix course PHL/323.

Essay by SgtPaneUniversity, Bachelor'sA-, October 2005

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Termination of an employer/employee relationship has long been an area of ethical concern for many businesses. We have researched specifics on related ethical standards, and the concept of termination management. Issues of employment termination can go much farther than the often emphasized legal aspect. Unforeseen consequences may arise because of how, why, and when, the employment termination took place. Often times, when employees are let go, their peers react in different ways that can be critical to the continued success of the business.

Is there a moral or ethical boundary that must not be crossed when an employer decides to unilaterally terminate the employer/employment relationship? Yes, ending employment for most people is a traumatic experience that can also cause ripple effects in an organization. People depend on the income they receive from their job to support themselves and their families.

In the article researched, the ethical boundary crossed was that the company only considered the legal risks of the termination action.

Potential ethical concerns were not addressed. Therefore, due to this circumstance a key issue of an ethical boundary existed among the organization and the employee upon separation. Key concepts of this issue revolved around employee separation due to job performance issues. The concept of an organization letting go an employee without prior knowledge of performance issues during evaluations was an issue dealing with honesty and integrity among the relationship between management and employees. Furthermore, the process of which separation of employment was handled by management had a negative impact on the employee and the ethical guidelines set forth by the organization.

In the article's example, the Director of Development for a non-profit organization was called to the Executive Director's office and shocked to find out that her employment was being terminated. The Executive Director had another member...