Deck 3: Ethics and the Law: Employee Rights and Employer Responsibilities

Question 1

Ethical approaches vary from country to country.The imperative of organisations which operate in international locations is to:

A) develop education programs, systems and structures to improve working conditions and opportunities
B) take a moral and societal approach that is long term and beneficial for sustainability
C) take an economical approach where they look after the welfare of the shareholders and those with a primary interest in the business
D) both a and b

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Which of the following statements about industrial relations is not true?

A) it refers to the formal relations between management, employees, unions and the government
B) it is governed by unchanging national laws, policies and agreements
C) it has traditionally been fostered by a strong trade union presence in Australia
D) it traditionally aligns with 'hard' HRM which views employees as costs

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Acts relating to anti-discrimination and equal employment opportunity legislation form the foundation of employment law in Australia.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Industrial relations refers to the formal relations between management, employees, unions and the government

Question 5

All occupational health and safety laws throughout Australia are the same at the state and federal levels.

Question 6

The essence of ethics is what we use to distinguish between 'right' from 'wrong'.

Question 7

A sports shoe company manufactures its shoes in third world country sweat shops because the labour costs are lower, maximising company profits and returns to shareholders.This company is displaying:

A) a business ethical perspective
B) a traditional ethical perspective
C) a human resource ethical perspective
D) a societal ethical perspective

Question 8

One way to manage job burnout is to clearly define employee and manager roles and responsibilities, so that updated job descriptions comply with appropriate HR procedures.

Question 9

Companies generally communicate their ethical guidelines for employee behaviour in a code of conduct that is communicated to all employees and often posted on the organisation's intranet.

Question 10

Environmental hazards in the workplace include untidy computer cables, wet surfaces, poor air-conditioning and even the use of whiteboard markers.

Question 11

A number of injuries are now specific to white-collar workforces such as office workers.Janice, who works as a computer analyst, has experienced pain in her wrists and arms as a result of long hours working at her computer terminal.She has found that over the last few weeks her pain has become such that she finds it difficult to work.What type of injury is Janice experiencing?

A) visual impairment
B) back injuries
C) environmental hazards
D) repetitive strain

Question 12

People's level of cognitive moral development refers to:

A) their perceptions of what is 'right' or 'wrong'
B) their degree of moral and ethical behaviour
C) the degree to which they comply with rules to satisfy personal interests
D) their need to fulfil agreed duties and adhere to laws

Question 13

The workplace hazards that contribute to workplace injury can be either physical or psychological.James developed a lung complaint as a result of dust he inhaled while cutting asbestos sheeting.Which type of hazard is this an example of?

A) physicality
B) hazardous commodities
C) physical harm
D) psychological harm

Question 14

An area that is often overlooked in risk management is:

A) risk assessment
B) knowledge management
C) unfair dismissal
D) discrimination

Question 15

The attitudes, values and expectations of organisational members are unrelated to the ethical climate of an organisation.

Question 16

Occupational health and safety (OHS) is necessary for organisational productivity and effectiveness.OHS in the workplace refers to:

A) the health, safety and welfare of employees in the workplace
B) the effort to improve workplace conditions to prevent accidents and injuries
C) organisational systems that deal with rehabilitation and compensation
D) all of the above

Question 17

Henry was experiencing back pain due to long hours working at a computer.He asked his employer to supply an ergonomic chair and a footrest.However, his manager refused this request.His manager:

A) is quite within his rights to refuse the request
B) does not have to spend money on equipment that is not fundamental to the performance of Henry's job
C) is violating occupational health and safety legislation that makes it a requirement to provide equipment to improve OHS and employee wellbeing
D) only has to provide Henry with regular breaks and instruct him about exercises he could do at work

Question 18

An international company operating in a foreign country has three options with regards to how it formulates its ethical business practices.Which of the following is not an option?

A) attempt to retain the ethical business practices of the home country
B) conform to the cultural practices of the host country
C) develop a compromise between a and b
D) attempt to change the cultural practices of the host country

Question 19

Conciliation and arbitration are basically the same process, except that a third person makes the final decision in the conciliation process.

Question 20

The employment relationship determines the ethical standards within the organisation and affects employees' psychological contracts with the organisation.

Question 21

Procedural justice is concerned with:

A) compliance with occupational health and safety law
B) a comparison of working conditions across organisations
C) the fairness of organisational procedures
D) rejecting organisational hierarchies and the power that is associated with them

Question 22

Job burnout is exhaustion experienced by employees as a result of their work efforts.Which of the following does Maslach (1982) NOT identify as a component of job burnout?

A) emotional exhaustion that results in a lack of energy, frustration and tension
B) work overload that results from employees being unreasonably expected to complete specific tasks
C) depersonalisation that results from people feeling they are treated as objects rather than humans
D) diminished personal accomplishment that results in employees lacking self-confidence and becoming cynical

Question 23

Australian organisations have traditionally favoured strong union involvement and perceive that conflict between employers and management is inevitable as they have differing goals.What type of employment relationship does this describe?

A) unitarist HRM
B) pluralist HRM
C) cooperative HRM
D) conflicting HRM

Question 24

Wiley (2000) suggests there are five items which are generally addressed in a code of conduct.Describe these five factors and give an example of each.

Question 25

In today's busy and transient western workplaces job burnout is a cause of concern for HR managers.Explain the components of job burnout, describe the reasons it occurs and suggest ways that HR managers can assist the management of such a condition.

Question 26

Workplace stress can be caused by:

A) rapidly changing workplaces
B) increased consumer demands
C) competitive business environments
D) all of the above

Question 27

While there is no standard definition of workplace bullying, it is understood that individuals who engage in bullying actions:

A) require physical activity
B) require promotion in the organisation
C) require power
D) require the humiliation from the line or HR manager

Question 28

When stress is not handled well in an organisation:

A) only the employee's performance on the job will suffer
B) the employer's productivity can suffer
C) the working relationships of people in the organisation can suffer
D) the employee, employer and the employee's friends and family can suffer

Question 29

A person in an organisation should be assigned to routinely check and inspect the workplace, promote awareness of health and safety matters, develop contingency plans to deal with anticipated problems, and develop rehabilitation and compensation packages for injured workers.This person is usually:

A) the HR manager
B) a union representative
C) a senior manager in the organisation
D) the occupational health and safety officer

Question 30

HR managers are more likely to achieve good outcomes when:

A) they engage in 'political games'
B) they draw on the power available in organisational hierarchies
C) they seek solutions that satisfy both employers and employees
D) they attempt to create confrontation with unions

Question 31

If mental models are representations of events, interpretations and behaviours, then factors that influence a person's mental model include:

A) ethical stance and national culture
B) personal and professional experiences
C) religious or political beliefs
D) all of the above

Question 32

There are many hazards in a workplace that may contribute to a workplace injury.What are the three classifications for sustaining a workplace injury?

Question 33

Employees join unions because:

A) they value the collective power of association unions create
B) they believe that unions help to ensure a fair workplace
C) they want to support their fellow workers
D) all of the above

Question 34

According to Jarret (2003), there are several steps that a risk manager can take to reduce employment practices liability.These steps basically fall into two categories: communicating procedures and policies, and ensuring employees are treated fairly during their employment.Discuss these two aspects of reducing liability in the workplace.

Question 35

What is the underlying reason for workplace bullying? How can a manager help alleviate this issue in the workplace?

Question 36

What are the six stages of moral ethical conduct?