Ethics in Management – PHL 323
Ethics in the Workplace Case Study Action Plan
Learning Team B: Cynthia Gibbs
Elizabeth Hedden
Dr. Christopher Klein, Facilitator
December 11, 2005
Ethics in the Workplace Case Study Action Plan
Introduction
In 2003, Weyco Inc., a licensed third party medical benefits administrator based in Okemos, Michigan, announced that effective January 1, 2005, they would no longer hire smokers (http://www.weyco.com/web/). They were changing their policy to a Tobacco-Free Policy, which would not only prohibit employees from smoking in or around the workplace, but outside the workplace, including in the privacy of their own homes. Employees who worked for Weyco Inc. were given a 15-month time frame to kick the
Absenteeism from work causes lower productivity and more stress and frustration for the employees who are at work trying to pick up the slack.
Identify Key Problems and Issues
• An Okemos, Michigan company bans tobacco use among its employees, even when they are not at work. Have employers gone too far in trying to make people stop smoking? (Lacy, E., Lee, A., and, Schultz, M 2005)
• Critics say employers are invading the privacy of their employees by regulating whether they smoke outside the workplace. Conducting random drug tests for illegal substances is one thing, but smoking is legal. Plus, employers may pass over a smoker even when he or she is best for a job. (Lacy, E., Lee, A., and, Schultz, M 2005)
• Weyco, Inc. launched a strict no-smoking policy January 1, 2005. Employees are subject to random breath tests to determine if they used tobacco during or after work hours. If employees test positive, they can be fired. (Lacy, E., Lee, A., and, Schultz, M 2005)
Analyze and Evaluate the Alternatives
Now that we have identified how each party is affected, we must analyze and evaluate alternatives. Smoking is not illegal in any of the fifty-two states; therefore, just as a woman should have the right to choose whether she wants to keep or abort a pregnancy, individuals should be allowed to choose whether or not they want to smoke or