Question 1

It is illegal for an employer to look on MySpace in screening potential employees.

Accepted Answer

It is not illegal for employers to look at a potential employee's social media profiles, including MySpace. However, some states have passed laws prohibiting employers from asking for access to an applicant's social media accounts or passwords.

Question 2

Boeing's internal investigation did not reveal any misconduct on the parts of Darlene Druyon or anyone at Boeing.

Accepted Answer

This statement is false. Boeing's internal investigation did in fact reveal misconduct on the part of Darlene Druyon and several other Boeing employees involved in the defense contracts scandal.

Question 3

In the Kodak case, the parties involved faced federal fraud charges.

Accepted Answer

The parties involved in the Kodak case did indeed face federal fraud charges.

Question 4

Your supervisor has had a calendar with pictures of naked women on the inside panel of his desk for several months. A secretary spotted the calendar and commented to your supervisor that it was not appropriate for an office. Your supervisor took down the calendar and has asked you to back him up if any complaints are filed. He has asked you to say that you never saw the calendar. It would not be unethical for you to do as your supervisor requests because he has removed the calendar.

Accepted Answer

It would be unethical to lie and say that you never saw the calendar if you did in fact see it. It is important to be truthful and honest in the workplace.

Question 5

The Kodak case involved a consultant, a Kodak employee, and the government appraiser.

Accepted Answer

The Kodak case involved a consultant, a Kodak employee, and the government appraiser.

Question 6

Darlene Druyon obtained positions for family members at Boeing before she began working there.

Accepted Answer

Darlene Druyun was involved in a scandal where she negotiated jobs for her family members at Boeing while she was still working for the U.S. Air Force, before she joined Boeing herself.

Question 7

Walmart still retained the ad agency Ms. Roehm had selected for Walmart before her termination.

Accepted Answer

Walmart terminated its relationship with the ad agency DraftFCB shortly after firing Julie Roehm, indicating that they did not retain the ad agency she had selected.

Question 8

Darlene Druyon had to enter into two plea agreements for different charges.

Accepted Answer

It is true that Darlene Druyon had to enter into two plea agreements for different charges.

Question 9

Deleted e-mail cannot be obtained during discovery when a company is in litigation.

Accepted Answer

Deleted e-mails can be obtained during discovery through electronic discovery techniques such as forensic analysis of digital devices or recovery from backup systems. However, this process can be expensive and time-consuming. It is important for companies to have clear policies and procedures for the retention and deletion of electronic records to manage the cost and risk of e-discovery in litigation.

Question 10

A supplier has just been awarded a large contract by your company. As an employee in purchasing, you were largely responsible for awarding that supplier the contract. The supplier's sales representative has just called and would like to take you to lunch to thank you for the support. Going to lunch with the sale representative does not present any ethical problems.

Accepted Answer

Accepting gifts or invitations that may create a conflict of interest or appear to influence purchasing decisions is generally considered unethical in a business setting. Even a simple lunch can create the appearance of impropriety and compromise purchasing integrity. It's best to politely decline the invitation and maintain a professional relationship with the supplier.

Question 11

English-only policies are discriminatory per se .

Accepted Answer

English-only policies are not inherently discriminatory; they may be legal or acceptable depending on the context, such as workplace necessity or safety requirements. However, if applied inappropriately, they can be considered discriminatory under laws like Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 if they disproportionately affect employees based on their national origin without a justified business necessity.

Question 12

E-mail can be obtained during discovery when a company is in litigation.

Accepted Answer

E-mail can be considered documents and may be requested during the discovery phase of litigation.

Question 13

Ms. Roehm was successful in her wrongful termination suit against Walmart.

Accepted Answer

Ms. Roehm's wrongful termination suit against Walmart was dismissed by the court, and she was not successful in her legal battle against the company.

Question 14

Accepting gifts from suppliers and vendors is not a problem so long as no bid decisions are pending.

Accepted Answer

Accepting gifts from suppliers and vendors can create a conflict of interest and may give the appearance of impropriety, even if no bid decisions are pending. It is generally considered unethical by professional organizations and can lead to negative consequences for individuals and companies involved.

Question 15

No one at Boeing faced criminal charges over the Darlene Druyon job offer.

Accepted Answer

Darleen Druyun, a former U.S. Air Force principal deputy assistant secretary, faced criminal charges related to negotiating a job with Boeing while she was involved in contracts beneficial to Boeing. She pleaded guilty in 2004 to a conflict of interest charge.

Question 16

You are a building inspector for the county. A friend of yours is a plumbing contractor. Under county regulations, all steps in plumbing construction from the initial dig to the final installation of sink and bathroom fixtures requires an inspection sign-off. Your plumbing contractor friend has just called and wants to take you to dinner for your birthday at a five-star restaurant. Because you are friends anyway, the dinner presents no ethical problems.

Accepted Answer

The dinner invitation from the plumbing contractor friend creates a conflict of interest as it may compromise the impartiality and objectivity of the building inspector's inspection and sign-off duties. Even if the friendship is genuine and the intention of the dinner is not to influence the inspector's work, it may create the appearance of impropriety or favoritism. Therefore, the inspector should decline the invitation and avoid any situation that may compromise their professional ethics and responsibilities.

Question 17

Compensation for the consultant in the Kodak case was a percentage of taxes saved.

Accepted Answer

According to the case study, the compensation for the consultant hired by Kodak was a percentage of the tax savings achieved through his recommendations.

Question 18

Your supervisor has told you that he wants to "get rid of Jane."   Jane is a Hispanic female co-worker who is very bright and capable and hardworking. Your supervisor has asked you to document everything Jane does and says that will help build a case for termination. You should do as your supervisor tells you.

Accepted Answer

It is not ethical or legal to document everything that Jane does just to build a case for termination. This action is discriminatory and could lead to legal consequences. As an AI language model, I do not condone or support discrimination in any form.

Question 19

Employers are permitted to monitor employee e-mails and use of the Internet.

Accepted Answer

Employers have the right to monitor employee e-mails and Internet use for legitimate business purposes, as long as they inform employees beforehand and do not violate their privacy rights.

Question 20

Voice mail messages on employee phones can be monitored by employers.

Accepted Answer

Employers have the legal right to monitor and access voice mail messages left on employee phones.

Quiz 7: Ethics, Business Operations, and Rights

It is illegal for an employer to look on MySpace in screening potential employees.

Boeing's internal investigation did not reveal any misconduct on the parts of Darlene Druyon or anyone at Boeing.

In the Kodak case, the parties involved faced federal fraud charges.

The Kodak case involved a consultant, a Kodak employee, and the government appraiser.

Darlene Druyon obtained positions for family members at Boeing before she began working there.

Walmart still retained the ad agency Ms. Roehm had selected for Walmart before her termination.

Darlene Druyon had to enter into two plea agreements for different charges.

Deleted e-mail cannot be obtained during discovery when a company is in litigation.

English-only policies are discriminatory per se .

E-mail can be obtained during discovery when a company is in litigation.

Ms. Roehm was successful in her wrongful termination suit against Walmart.

Accepting gifts from suppliers and vendors is not a problem so long as no bid decisions are pending.

No one at Boeing faced criminal charges over the Darlene Druyon job offer.

Compensation for the consultant in the Kodak case was a percentage of taxes saved.

Employers are permitted to monitor employee e-mails and use of the Internet.

Voice mail messages on employee phones can be monitored by employers.