Lesson 6

• Ethical Decision Making: Employee Rights

• Ethical Issues in the Workplace
 Ethical Decision
Making: Employee
Rights
Equal work opportunities for all – the state shall
protect labor promote full employment, provide equal
work opportunity regardless of gender, race, or creed;
and regulate relations between employees and
employers

Work days and work hours – employee must be

paid their wages for all hours worked. If their work
hours fall between 10:00pm to 6:00am, they are
entitled to night shift pay in addition to their pay for
regular work hours. If they work over eight hours a
day, they are entitled to overtime pay
 Weekly rest day – a day-off of 24 consecutive hours
after 6days of work should be scheduled by the
employer upon consultation with the workers

 Wage and wage-related benefits - wage is the

amount paid to an employee in exchange for to the
services that they rendered to their employer. May be
fixed for a given period

 Security of tenure – no employee can be dismissed

from work except for a just or authorized cause an
only after due process
 Payment of Wages - should be paid directly to the
employee in cash, legal tender, or through a bank.
Wages shall be given not less than once every two
weeks or twice within a month at intervals not
exceeding 16 days.
 Female employees- Women are prohibited from
engaging in night work unless the work is allowed by
the following rules: industrial undertakings from 10
p.m. to 6 a.m., commercial/non-industrial
undertakings from 12 m.n. to 6 a.m., or agricultural
takings at night provided that she has had nine
consecutive hours of rest. Welfare facilities, such as
separate dressing rooms and lavatories, must be
installed at the workplace.
 Employment of children - The minimum
employment age is 15 years of age. Any worker below
15 years of age should be directly under the sole
responsibility of parents or guardians provided that
work does not interfere with the child’s schooling or
development. The minimum age of employment is 18
years for hazardous jobs, and 15 years for non-
hazardous jobs.

 Safe working conditions - Employers must provide

workers with every kind of on-the-job protection
against injury, sickness or death through safe and
healthful working conditions..
 Rights to self-organization and collective
bargaining- Every worker has the right to self-
organization, i.e., to form or to join any legitimate
workers’ union, free from interference of their
employer or the government. All workers may join a
union for the purpose of collective bargaining and is
eligible for union membership on the first day of their
employment
ETHICAL DECISION
MAKING: EMPLOYEE
RESPONSIBILITIES
DECISION MAKING AT WORK
• There are two very distinct, and sometimes competing,
perspectives on the ethics of workplace relationships.   
• On one hand, employers might decide to treat employees well
as a means to produce greater workplace harmony and
productivity. 
• Employees feel less pressure, more valued as
employees, and more satisfied with their
organizations, when they see that a firm values their
emotions and exhibits values such as honesty, respect,
and trust.
DECISION MAKING AT WORK 
• On the other hand, of course, employers might treat
employees well out of a Kantian sense (The
philosophy of Immanuel Kant) of duty and rights,
regardless of the either utilitarian or self-interested
productivity consequences.  

• This deontological approach emphasizes the rights

and duties of all employees, and the interest in
treating employees well simply because “it is the
right thing to do.” 
EMPLOYER RESPONSIBILITIES
HEALTH AND SAFETY AT WORK
EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES: 
YOUR MOST IMPORTANT RESPONSIBILITIES AS AN
EMPLOYEE  

• to take reasonable care for the health and safety of yourself and
of other persons who may be affected by your acts or
omissions at work
• to co-operate with your employer, making sure you get proper
training and you understand and follow the company's health
and safety policies
• not to interfere with or misuse anything that's been provided
for your health, safety or welfare
EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES: 
YOUR MOST IMPORTANT RESPONSIBILITIES AS AN
EMPLOYEE  

• to report any injuries, strains or illnesses you suffer as a result

of doing your job, your employer may need to change the way
you work
• to tell your employer if something happens that might affect
your ability to work, because your employer has a legal
responsibility for your health and safety, they may need to
suspend you while they find a solution to the issue or problem,
but you will normally be paid if this happens
EMPLOYER RESPONSIBILITIES:  
PROVISION OF SAFE AND HEALTHY
ENVIRONMENT
The employer shall comply with safety and health laws and shall
take necessary precautions for the prevention of work-related
disability or death. 
• Any factory should possess safe arrangements for making use
of harmful substances, dangerous products or chemicals.
• All details such as training, information about safety should be
updated to the employees at time.
EMPLOYER RESPONSIBILITIES:  
PROVISION OF SAFE AND HEALTHY
ENVIRONMENT
The employer must ensure the provision and maintenance of
welfare facilities such as toilets, drinking water, a place of rest
for pregnant women and a place to eat.
• Living in a healthy environment means a better pollution free
atmosphere, clean water, nutritious food, and better shelter for
both humans and animals. This result in less formation of
diseases or disease carrying mosquitoes that further affects
human health.
EMPLOYER RESPONSIBILITIES:   
PROVISION OF SAFE AND HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT

The employer must ensure the maintenance of the safe access and
exit at a place of work. It should possess the appropriate
requirements such as lifts, stairs and other necessities for the
work place. Fire risk assessment must be carried out and
emergency procedures in place to deal with the management of
any emergency.
• A workplace should have adequate emergency services,
appropriate safety equipment and technology which are in
lined with the standards.
EMPLOYER RESPONSIBILITIES:
REGISTRATION
Every employer and every employee shall be registered with the
SSS or GSIS. Failure or refusal by an employer to register his
employees is punishable.  

Moreover, in case a compensable contingency occurs after 30

days from employment and before the System receives any report
for coverage about the employee or Employees' Compensation
(EC) contribution on his behalf, his employer shall be liable to
the System for the lump sum equivalent of the benefits to which
he or his dependents may be entitled.
EMPLOYER RESPONSIBILITIES: 
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE SIF
The administering agencies, SSS for the private sector, and the
GSIS for the government sector, collect employers’ contributions
to the Social Insurance Fund (SIF).  

The SSS and the GSIS manage these funds through wise
investments and bank deposit placements. The employer’s failure
to remit contributions to the SIF shall make him liable to the
SSS/GSIS for the benefits that maybe due and payable to his
employees. Furthermore, penalties shall be imposed. Late
payment/ non-payment of contributions is also subject to a
penalty.
EMPLOYER RESPONSIBILITIES: 
NON-DEPRIVATION OF EXISTING BENEFITS

No contract, regulation or device whatsoever shall operate to

deprive the employee or dependents of any part of the EC
program compensation package. Existing medical services being
provided by the employer shall be maintained and continue to be
enjoyed by his employees.
EMPLOYER RESPONSIBILITIES:
COMPLIANCE WITH REGULATIONS
Report all serious accidents to Work Cover. 
Holding worker’s compensation insurance. 
Consulting with employees with respect to occupational health
and safety. 
Paying employees the correct wage. 
Treat all employees fairly, applying equal opportunity
principles.  
Give clear instructions. 
Evaluate performance and provide feedback to employees. 
Give due consideration to all relevant legislation. 
Ethical Issues in
the Workplace
1. Misusing company time
• Conducting personal business using company
time
2. Abusive behavior
• Managers and supervisors use their position
and power to mistreat or disrespect others
3. Employee theft
• Misappropriating assets of the company for
personal use and manipulating business
transaction.
4. Violating company internet policies
• Visiting websites that have nothing to do with their
work
5. Cheating the company
• When employees leave the company during office
hours for personal reasons while receiving a full
paycheck
6. Undue credit
• Some employees might try to rise in the company by
taking credit for work that other employees actually
performed
References

http://www.gov.ph/featured/rights-of-employees/
http://content.wisestep.com/employees-and-employers-rights-and-r
esponsibilities/
http://beforeitsnews.com/international/2013/03/what-is-a-healthy-e
nvironment-2454244.html
Employers’ Responsibilities: Employees’ Compensation
Program 
   By Department of Labor and Employment 
Employees’ Compensation Commission 
Ethical Decision Making: Employer Responsibilities and
Employee Rights 
    By Hartman, Business Ethics: Decision−Making for
Personal Integrity and Social Responsibility
http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/blog/guest-comment/