Discriminatory Policies and Employment Relationships

The Components of Job Relationships and Moral Justifications for Discriminatory Hiring Practices

The various components of job relationships are covered in the essay, along with an examination of the moral justifications for possibly discriminatory hiring practices. The essay also examines a case in which Dream Message Company employs an independent contractor and demands that she follow a set timetable determined by the business in accordance with the clients and her message products, exercising complete control over how she carries out her work. Notably, the employee does not receive any job benefits or tax withholding. Additionally, she is not allowed to wear her preferred dress due to business policies. The paper analyses whether the employee qualifies as an employee or an independent contractor and discusses whether Dream Message has potentially violated any employment discrimination laws, and finally analyzes the ethical considerations behind maintaining a rigid company dress policy. Several essential elements define a healthy employer-employee relationship, and the strong connection between the two groups is vital in ensuring that both teams work together for the achievement of the business goals and objectives. So as to make sure that the workplace is satisfying and there is increased productivity among other benefits, a good rapport is essential.

The Importance of Mutual Respect and Mutual Reliance in an Employer-Employee Relationship

Firstly, mutuality respect is an important element and can be understood regarding mutual respect and mutual reliance. Regarding mutual respect, the whole team must understand their contribution and role in a firm and act by the position. Importantly, the traditional employer-employee relationship should neither be lost nor blurred. On the other hand, mutual reliance requires the teams in the workplace are responsible for performing the designated tasks in the workplace (Banks, 2012). Notably, the company depends on the performance of the employees and in return, the employee requires the company to show some appreciation through payment of wages. Therefore, the mutuality of reliance is critical in any working environment. Secondly, the boundary is an essential element, and it varies depending on the company, but there are levels of engagement that must be observed so as to retain a healthy working relationship between the employer and the employee. The human resources policies manual is critical in addressing close personal associations, and thus issues such as dating should be avoided and if they exist, they should be handled professionally so as not to affect the output of the involved parties (O'Neill & O'Neill, 2014). Uncontrolled boundaries in working environment might result in issues such as sexual harassments, favoritism, and other problems that can lead the company to the risk of litigation. Open communication is another element and requires employees to feel comfortable as they engage with the employer and has the advantage of welcoming positive feedback, offering input where necessary, and listening to the concerns of the employee. Also, the element of support defines the act of granting the employees the essential tools of work, and on the other hand, the employer needs to show some appreciation through the provision of bonuses, promotions and salary increments for the jobs well done. Therefore, a company should ensure that a good employer- employee relationships in cultivated and naturalized in the workplace so as to ensure productivity and maximum output from the employees.

The Ethics behind Potentially Discriminatory Employment Policies

The ethics behind the potentially discriminatory employment policies lies behind the fact that it is illegal to discriminate an individual based on religion, race, gender, color, sex, sexual orientation, genetic information, national origin, disability, and age. Notably, it is also illegal to launch retaliatory attacks on a person who have previously complained about discrimination. In the constitution, there are laid out policies that govern work element and ethics in the field of job advertisements, recruitment, application and hiring, job referrals, promotions and job assignments. Also, pay and benefits, discipline and charge, employment references, reasonable accommodation and disability, training and apprenticeship programs, harassment, and conditions of service govern the work ethics. The moment these regulations are violated, the culprit faces the full force of the law. In the discussed scenario, the contacted employee qualifies as an employee and not as an independent contractor. Notably, unlike the independent contractor, she was subject to working a set schedule, and the company provided her with clients and her message products, and they also exercised full control of how she carried her duties. Independent contractors have the freedom to work with their job schedules but observe the times lines and other job requirements according to the signed contract document.

The Violation of Employment Policy Laws and the Ethical Considerations of Company Dress Policies

The Dream Message has potentially violated the employment policy laws that cover discrimination. Despite being denied her rights as an independent contractor and being denied the tax withholdings and jobs benefits, the worker is deprived her of equal treatment by being denied to wear her dress choice. The law requires that no one should be discriminated against by gender, or religion. Conspicuously, the company policies have not observed the legal requirement and have dictated the way the employees should dress (Rasmussen, 2015). She should be allowed to cover her hijab, and the company’s dress policy should be adjusted to meet the various dress requirements by all the religions in the world. The ethical considerations behind maintaining a rigid company dress policies include not infringing the rites of other faiths. Therefore, the company should take into considerations the various dress codes and policies of all the religions before they draft their dress policies. Notably, the company dress policies should be in harmony with the dress code regulations stipulated in the constitution. The employee is justified in suing the employer and demanding her religious rights to be respected in addition to observance of her rights as an independent contractor.

References

Banks, S. (2012). Ethics and values in social work. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan.

O'Neill, J., & O'Neill, D. (2014). The declining importance of race and gender in the labor market. Washington, D.C.: AEI Press.

Rasmussen, E. (2015). Employment relationships. Auckland: Auckland University Press.