HR Ethics Scenarios Worksheet
Answer the following questions for each corresponding scenario in no more than 350 words each.
1. The HR Director is having lunch outside the office. She hears a competitor talking about a significant change in their business that could affect the performance of her own firm.
What is HR's ethical duty?
Explain why this may fall under corporate responsibility and insider trading.
2. The head of HR refers a family member to a department head for consideration in an "un-posted" job.
What do you do?
Explain this in the context of the corporate responsibility of conflict of interest.
3. You just started your new job as the Director of HR for a government contractor. After being there for a few weeks, you notice that employees are being periodically drug tested. However, the tests don't appear random and tend to focus on one specific group.
Why is it important to investigate and resolve the issue immediately?
What should the investigation include?
Does the Drug Free Workplace Act apply here?
4. The manager at one of your locations calls you and wants to terminate an employee for having religious quotes in his desk area. The area is located in the back room and no one but that person has access to the room.
Do you make the person remove them? Why or why not?
Can the employee file a lawsuit under the Civil Rights Act, Title VII (1964)? Why or why not?
Explain why the manager might not have a case for making the employee take the quotes down.