Workplace Discrimination: Understanding Legal and Ethical Requirements

§ Explain basic legal and ethical terms and guidelines that pertain to the topic of workplace discrimination.

§ Summarize your findings from the EEOC website, including types of discrimination and those most frequently charged, trends in reporting of discrimination, and implications for healthcare organizations in statistics and trends.

§ Explain legal protections for employees with regard to discrimination in the workplace.

§ Explain the role of nurse executives in reporting potential violations of employment law.

§ Analyze potential ethical conflicts nurse executives may face in accusations and lawsuits related to charges of discrimination.

§ Explain recommendations for negotiating those ethical conflicts.

§ Explain the role of nurse executives in preventing discriminatory practices in a healthcare setting and ways discrimination may be managed.

 

Workplace Discrimination: Understanding Legal and Ethical Requirements

 

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is the federal agency charged with ending employment discrimination. In that role it may not, as yet, have succeeded in wiping out discrimination in employment, but as you will discover in researching its website, the EEOC is dedicated to its mission.

 

To Prepare:

 

Review the Learning Resources, with particular attention to those on employment law and discrimination.

In particular, review the EEOC website for the following:

• Trends on reporting of discrimination in organizations (for example, browse the “Newsroom” and “Laws, Regulations, Guidance & MOUs” sections to spot trends), as well as trends in discrimination charges through the years
• Information on the types of discrimination reported to the EEOC
• Data on discrimination charges by type (e.g., age, disability, pregnancy, etc.) and the basis of the charge (e.g., race, religion, retaliation, disability)
• Process for filing a complaint and protections against retaliation

Consider implications for healthcare organizations in the EEOC findings.

Consider the legal and ethical role of nurse executives in responding to cases of discrimination and in setting and enforcing policies to avoid discriminatory behavior.

 

Assignment:

 

Based on your research, in 8–10 slides, plus Title and Reference slides, include the following:

 

• Explain basic legal and ethical terms and guidelines that pertain to the topic of workplace discrimination.
• Summarize your findings from the EEOC website, including types of discrimination and those most frequently charged, trends in reporting of discrimination, and implications for healthcare organizations in statistics and trends.
• Explain legal protections for employees with regard to discrimination in the workplace.
• Explain the role of nurse executives in reporting potential violations of employment law.
• Analyze potential ethical conflicts nurse executives may face in accusations and lawsuits related to charges of discrimination.
• Explain recommendations for negotiating those ethical conflicts.
• Explain the role of nurse executives in preventing discriminatory practices in a healthcare setting and ways discrimination may be managed.

 

Required References:

Fried, B. J., & Fottler, M. D. (Eds.). (2018). Fundamentals of human resources in healthcare (2nd ed.). Chicago, IL: Health Administration Press.

• Chapter 3, “The Legal and Ethical Environment” (pp. 51–86)
• Chapter 10, “Organized Labor” (pp. 264–295)

Gurchiek, K. (2017). In focus: Female employees are still asked about pregnancy plans. Retrieved from https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/behavioral-competencies/global-and-cultural-effectiveness/pages/in-focus-female-employees-still-asked-about-pregnancy-plans.aspx

 

Smith, A. (2019, May). How to respond to the spread of measles in the workplace. Retrieved from https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/legal-and-compliance/employment-law/pages/how-to-respond-spread-measles-workplace.aspx