Business Ethics

The vast majority of people are ethical. They want to do the right thing and follow the law. They want to work for companies that are ethical, too. In the Ethics Resource Center’s National Business Ethics Survey, the vast majority of the workers questioned said they expect their employers to do “what is right, not just what is profitable.” We offer in-depth information about ethics in workplace issues including general ethics (values that set a higher standard than the legal minimum), employee responsibilities such as the duty of loyalty, and corporate compliance issues such as insider trading, antitrust and intellectual property.

Below you will find our answered Ask the Lawyers questions and eNews articles grouped under FAQ categories.

FAQs

• What is an employee’s duty of loyalty?
• What are the rights and responsibilities in hiring?
• What are our ethical responsibilities?
• What are the rights and responsibilities of whistleblowers?

What is an employee’s duty of loyalty?

• Can I ask an employee when she intends to resign?
• What can we do about an accountant who won’t turn over company checks?
• Can I fire a service technician who told our best customer that we do not give pay raises and then asked the customer to hire her?
• If an employee refuses to pay back a cash shortage, what, if any, action can the employer take?
• Can I quit and get unemployment benefits because my commute is too long?

What are our rights and responsibilities in hiring?

• Looking to Hire “Digital Natives” = Looking for Trouble
• Should an employee be terminated if false documentation is discovered?
• If I use synthetic urine for a pre-hire screen to mask a pregnancy, can my employer fire me for doing so?

• Your Employees Don’t Need a Union If You’re Pro-Worker
• Want Better Leaders? Give Your Managers Legal Training!
• Values to Work By
• Respect in the Covid Era
• The Google Memo, Charlottesville, and Managers’ Responsibilities
• Legal Training in the Trump Era
• Is it legal for my manager to require attendance at a meeting/workshop held at her private home?
• “Who’s in Charge Here?” Asks Appeals Court in $1M Harassment Case
• Does a department supervisor have the right to demand that you show him an email you’re typing to HR, or to tell you not to send it?
• Can my employer be held liable for my affair?
• Managers and Supervisors = First Responders to Misconduct
• Do we need an expense account policy?
• Beating the Brain Drain
• Is this a conflict of interest?
• Why Legal Training for Managers Improves the Bottom Line
• What a Difference a Year Makes! The Obama Administration and Employment Law

What are the rights and responsibilities of whistleblowers?

• Retaliation: An Expensive Proposition