Business Ethics Writing Assignment About Workplace Harassment

Business Ethics: Workplace Harassment
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Business Ethics: Workplace Harassment
Harassment at the workplace is one of the ethical issues in a business environment in the world today. Workplace harassment is the behavior or actions that cause discomfort or distress to an individual by making them feel less at the place of work. There are different forms of workplace harassment based on the gender, race, religion or status of an individual at the workplace.
According to U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission website, harassment is a form of discrimination at the workplace that goes against the civil rights, disabilities and age discrimination acts in the U.S. Harassment can be based on color, race, genetic information, pregnancy or even age of an individual. Harassment is said to be unlawful if it means that to remain employed, an individual has to keep up with the offensive treatment at the workplace or if the individual considers the workplace environment unpleasant or hostile (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission). This website describes actions that can be legally described as harassment in the workplace. They include name calling, offensive jokes, intimidation, physical threats, insults or belittling of an individual. These actions may necessitate filing a lawsuit against workplace harassment. In addition, the website reveals that harassment can be from a supervisor, a colleague, an agent of the employer or even someone who is not an employee at the place of work. Harassment can also be indirect, that is, if it affects other people at the workplace other than the specifically targeted individual. The website advises employers on harassment prevention practices that can be adopted at the workplace. They include setting up a harassment complaint system that is employee friendly, acting on those complaints accordingly and training employees and their supervisors on anti-harassment behaviors. The website also indicates that an employer is liable for any harassment projected to an emplo...