Chapter 18 Employee Stakeholders: Privacy, Safety, and Health © 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning 1

Right to Privacy, Safety, Health Right to privacy The status of workers’ rights is ill-defined. Right to safety Thousands injured on the job annually. Right to health Thousands suffer from work-related health problems.  In today’s uncertain work environment, employees are more hesitant to ask for their rights to be respected. © 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning 2

Right to Privacy Right to: Keep personal affairs to oneself Autonomy Determine when, how, and to what extent private information is communicated to others.  Privacy in the workplace is in flux as new technological options are introduced. © 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning 3

Workplace Privacy Issues 1.Collection and use of employee information in personnel files. 2.Integrity testing. 3.Drug testing. 4.Monitoring employee’s work, behavior, conversations, and location by electronic means. 4 © 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning

Integrity Tests Polygraph Lie Detector Highly controversial in business Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) Banned most private-sector use of the lie detector Integrity tests Also controversial, but viewed as a substitute for polygraph tests 5 © 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning

Employee Polygraph Protection Act Exceptions Include: Security services Nuclear facilities Radioactive or toxic waste Public water supply facilities Public transportation Precious commodities Proprietary information Controlled substances Government employees 6 © 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning

Arguments For Drug Testing High cost of drug abuse Increased rate of accidents and injuries Increased rate of theft Increased propensity to make poor decisions Ruined lives Ethical responsibility to employees and public to provide Safe workplaces Secure asset protection Safe places to transact business 7 © 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning

Arguments Against Drug Testing Violates due process rights Invades privacy rights False positives from common foods and medicines Ignores employee’s actual performance 8 © 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning

Employee Assistance Programs Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) Extend into a variety of employee problem areas. A proactive way of dealing with employee problems 1.Employees are valuable members of the organization. 2.It is better to help troubled employees than to discipline or discharge them. 3.Recovered employees are better employees. 9 © 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning

Monitoring Employees on the Job  Employee monitoring occurs at the majority of mid- to large-sized firms. Technology changed the pervasiveness and nature of monitoring. Videotaping Recording phone calls and voice mail Reading computer files Monitoring s and web access GPS 10 © 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning

Right-to-Know Laws OSHA’s hazard communication standards 1.Update inventories of hazardous chemicals in the workplace. 2.Assemble material safety data sheets. 3.Ensure that hazardous chemicals are properly labeled. 4.Train workers on the use of hazardous chemicals. 5.Prepare and maintain a written description of the hazard communication program. 6.Consider any problems with trade secrets from the disclosure requirements. 7.Review state requirements for hazard disclosure. 11 © 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning

Workplace Violence A major problem posing challenges to management. Companies make few efforts to address workplace violence. Continued violence in the future because of: Greater tolerance for violence Easily available weapons Economic stress Difficult job market Insufficient support systems 12 © 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning

Who is Affected? Workers are most at risk who: exchange money with the public. deliver passengers, goods, or services. work alone or in small groups. work late at night or early morning. work in community settings with extensive public contact. work in high-crime areas. 13 © 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning

OSHA’s Recommendations for Preventing Workplace Violence 1.Provide safety education. 2.Secure the workplace. 3.Provide drop safes. 4.Equip field staff with cell phones and alarms. 5.Instruct employees not to enter unsafe locations. 6.Develop policies and procedures covering visits for home health-care providers. 14 © 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning

Right to Health in the Workplace Smoking in the workplace Growing anti-smoking sentiment in the U.S. and globally Passive smoke kills thousands in the U.S. each year Benefits of smoke-free workplaces : Lower employee healthcare costs. Smoke-free workplaces help smokers to quite. 15 © 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning

Family-Friendly Workplace Work/Life balance A state of equilibrium where the demands of a person’s personal and professional life are equal. A desirable state for most workers, but difficult in recessionary economic times. Family-friendly benefits 1.Dependent care flexible spending accounts 2.Flextime 3.Family leave above time required Family and Medical leave Act 4.Domestic partner benefits 5.Adoption assistance 16 © 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning

Family and Medical Leave Act Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Designed to make life easier for employees with family or health problems. FMLA employee rights 12 weeks of unpaid leave in 12-month period Reinstatement in old or equivalent jobs Health benefits during leave periods Protection from retaliation 17 © 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning

Family-Friendly Workplace (continued) FMLA employer rights Companies with fewer than 50 workers are exempt. Right to demand that employees obtain medical opinions or certifications; may require additional opinions. Do not have to pay employees, but must continue health benefits. If employee and spouse are at the same firm, the total leave for both may be limited to 12 weeks. 18 © 2012 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning