Ch 3

Part 1 Exercise 3:

Employment Law Issues

PART A: In Chapter 3, you learned that drug testing, office and locker searches, psychological testing, and electronic surveillance can pose potential legal problems due to invasion of privacy. In the following examples, indicate whether you think an invasion of privacy occurred.

A. A retail store places cameras in each corner of the store to prevent shoplifting and employee theft. The only place the cameras cant see are the dressing rooms. Is this an invasion of privacy? Why or why not?

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B. During a polygraph test, a police department asks applicants how many people they slept with in the past five years. Is this an invasion of privacy? Why or why not?

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C. A manufacturing company assigns each employee a locker and requires that the employees provide their own combination locks. The company suspects that several of the employees are drinking on the job, so it cuts the locks and inspects the lockers. Is this an invasion of privacy? Why or why not?

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D. Siesta County has a new drug testing policy in which, weekly, it will require 30 randomly chosen employees to provide a urine sample. To ensure that the employees are not cheating, a monitor will observe the employee as he or she provides the urine specimen. Is this an invasion of privacy? Why or why not?

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PART B: You have just been hired as the employment law expert for a new NBC call-in show, Can I Sue? What would you tell the caller asking the following questions? Be sure to include the rationale for your answer as well as the law on which you are basing your answer.

1. I am one of 25 employees in my company. I want to have a baby but my boss says that the company will not grant me leave. Can they do this?

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2. I was burned badly as a child, and as a result, I have scars all over my face. I cant seem to get a job at McDonalds, Wendys or Burger King because they think my looks will turn off the customers. Can they do that to me?

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3. My male supervisor walks behind all of his employees and rubs their shoulders before asking, Hows it going today? Isnt this sexual harassment?

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4. A woman at work has sent me 15 love letters. After the third letter, I told her to stop. She continued sending the letters that included such statements as I have enjoyed watching you so much over these past few months and I constantly imagine us in bed together. Isnt this sexual harassment?

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5. Nine months ago I was refused a job. I think it was because I am Italian. Can I file a complaint with the EEOC?

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part 2:Click the link to read the article and respond to the following questions:

What is your impression of Human Resources at your current job or one you have had previously? Do you believe a pay gap exists? What do you think about this article about Walmart? Why is there still continued pay discrimination against women and sometimes minorities in this country?