International Ethics - Rights and Responsibility - the Issues That Mary Is Facing

Abstract

This paper will discuss the issues that Mary is facing, that have started to make her feel like she has lost idealism. First, this paper will show the difference in cultures, laws and customs as it relates to the rights and responsibility of employees in the United States and Europe. Next, this paper will tell the possible consequences and challenges that Mary might encounter from her immediate supervisor as well as the government agency if she goes forward with a formal complaint. Finally, this paper will suggest the course of action that Mary should take. All in all there are ways that Mary could rectify these issues but she must decide if this is a battle that she would like to deal with.

The United States-based corporations appear to be behind European counterparts when it comes to applying corporate social responsibility and supporting practices but the question is who does a better job of steering clear of unethical conduct? Within this research the plan is to embark on the laws, culture and customs practice of corporations based in Europe to see if they are dramatically different from the United States. However, there are different laws available for each individual corporation. Equal Opportunity has stressed that all businesses are required to accommodate every employee equally. For many businesses this may not stand true for example, if an employee fear that they might be terminated for speaking up this violates the civil discrimination law (U.S. Department of Labor, 2011).

The rights and responsibilities of employees and employers in the United States and Europe have similarities as well as differences within the guidelines. The United States standards are lower than the European Union (EU) labor standards, however they share an equal if not above labor standards as well. These standards reflect the jurisdiction values by having a different implication for all workers in Europe and the United States.

The differences between the United States and Europe is in the United States is ran by the government and Europe by Parliaments. In the United States everyone is allowed to be free whereas the Europe Union make the decision for the country. In Europe the employees are not permitted to speak up because of the consequences that will follow.

The is a great risk for disaster of ethical misconduct because of the complex global business environment. Stakeholder scrutiny can create an unexpected organizational crisis which increases regulations and enforcement. “All organizations will be faced with ethical lapses, unintentional misconduct, and complacency from employees when they observe other serious misconducts”, (Ferrell & Ferrell, 2005). Some people will break the law intentionally or react in an inappropriate manner in relations to unethical conduct scandals. Often times there are people who do not view ethics while setting up their own innovative