Sexual Harassment Ethics

Sexual harassment and sexual assault are very serious issues happening today in the workplace. Women or men have suffered from unsolicited sexual behaviors that are typically provoked by someone “higher” in position. “Sexual harassment especially has been a fixture in the workplace since women began to work outside their homes” (Fitzgerald, 1993). It is solely the responsibility of the employer to ensure that all employees within are aware and are very cautions of laws, misconduct, and liabilities. Employers must enforce the Policy Prohibiting Discrimination and further extend those laws and guidelines to their employees. It is also the job of any members within the board or a committee to take action and investigate when sexual harassment

Does the culprit of sexual harassment express good character? Does sexual harassment in the work environment take the side of a vices or virtues? In this specific scandal, the ethical dilemma asks how these perpetrators view their behavior. Ethics of virtue is one of the foremost moral substructures to decode ethical problems like sexual harassment at work. There are a few ethical theories that relates to this specific sexual harassment scandal. First is the Virtue ethical theory, which questions if the actions of Dr. Nassar were honest, trustworthy, and truthful while employed as a sports doctor with Michigan State University? It explains which traits are relevant and why they are used to reflect on the specific behavior that went with the action. Such actions by Dr. Nassar do not exhibit good virtue. Deontology ethical theory also applies. Did the president of the University of Michigan, the U.S.A Gymnastics, or board members do their duties to report serious complaints from parents and patients? In this case they did not. Utilitarian moral principal asks if the results produced by an action ethical? In this specific sexual harassment scandal Dr. Nassar’s results (sexual abuse produced by the sexual misconduct) were unethical. Because Dr. Nassar committed acts that were illegal and unethical for such a long time, the University of Michigan, the U.S.A

Employers are just as guilty as their employees when dealing with sexual harassment. Employers equally must be prosecuted. One question if there are policies and or programs in force that can prevent sexual harassment and assault in the workplace. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is responsible to enforce the workplace laws. One of the outlined laws states, “It is unlawful to harass a person that could be an applicant, employee, or student because of that person’s sex. Harassment can include sexual harassment or unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature” (Lockwood, 2017). Employers are required and responsible to take action when complaints are being filed and take reasonable care to prevent sexual harassment. Failure to do so can carry significant financial implications if the court rules that sexual harassment occurred. Any financial settlement to the plaintiff, the employer may be required to pay the court fees that typically cost more than the settlement it self. The reasoning behind it is to motivate employers and mangers to establish a zero tolerance policy. Managers or board members should take each complaint seriously and set good examples for other employees. Since employers are at liability in cases like this, they must act immediately and investigate complaints. Employers cannot