Argumentative Essay (revise my attachment please)
Running head: Gender Discrimination
Gender Discrimination
Garry Bray Jr.
Personal and Organizational Ethics
Instructor Larry Baker
July 15 2019
Gender Discrimination
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1. Running head: Gender
Discrimination
Very well done running
head/header and title page.
[Larry Baker]
Running head: Gender Discrimination
Discrimination is prejudicial treatment of different groups of people or things, especially on the
grounds of race, age, or sex. For this assignment I will briefly give a description on the case of Ledbetter
vs. Goodyear. Gender discrimination has been an issue in the past, present, and future with businesses but
laws are always developing to better end discrimination of any kind. These laws are holding companies
responsible and the reimbursement may be a hefty price. Lilly worked as a supervisor for Goodyear for
about 19 years. She eventually caught wind that she was making thousands less per year than her male
counter parts of the same position. Closer to her retirement she decided to file a sexual discrimination
case against Goodyear. She successfully sued Goodyear but the appeal was reversed by the Eleventh
Circuit and the Supreme Court, because the action was not filed within 180 days. A plaintiff can challenge
harassment as long as at least one of the acts that together created the hostile environment occurred within
the 180-day charge-filing period (Brake, Grossman, 2017). The company’s lack of compassion toward
Lilly Ledbetter were instrumental in such laws like the Ledbetter act and the Paycheck fairness bill.
Goodyear’s main goal was profit-making and self-satisfaction and not the interest of their
employees. One reason I say this is in the article of Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co it states
that even after Lilly Ledbetter won the case, the appeal was reversed because it was not filed within 180
days. Goodyear really was not trying to compensate Lilly Ledbetter for her discrimination law suit. This
was such an outrage that President Barack signed a bill called the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act to keep this
unjust act from happening to others. On July 20, 2010 President Obama issued a statement calling for
passage of the Paycheck Fairness bill (Furchtgott, 2010). Lilly Ledbetter will not be the first to face
discrimination nor will she be the last to face discrimination, she had to persevere working without the
payment that she was entitled for too long. She tried to rectify her entitlement in court just to be denied.
She may not have won the compensation but she made a stand against discrimination for all, not just
women. Deontological is the ethical theory that best supports my claims for this discussion on Lilly
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1. Running head:
The running header should
end on the title page. Only the
header title should persist.
Please see the APA guide.
[Larry Baker]
2. For this assignment
The definition of
discrimination is not the
reason for the description of
the case. Be sure to use
definitions to add clarity.
[Larry Baker]
3. are always developing
There seems to be laws that
resist the legislation of
equality as well as laws that
advance it. The movement of
progress may not be a
straight line. [Larry Baker]
4. Paycheck fairness
The role of fairness in this
case could be more explicitly
explained in the introduction.
[Larry Baker]
5. A clear thesis should be
stated here. [Larry Baker]
6. in the article of Ledbetter
v. Goodyear
Missing commas here.
[Larry Baker]
7. Goodyear really was not
trying to compensate Lilly
Ledbetter for her
discrimination law suit.
This
was such an outrage that
President Barack
This section continues the
description. The thesis
section should develop a
moral position. This should be
followed by two clear
premises. [Larry Baker]
Running head: Gender Discrimination
Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. The Deontological theory is the position that moral standards
are grounded in instinctive rational obligations-or duties-which we have (Fieser, 2015). I feel this way
because clearly the case was won by Lilly Ledbetter but Goodyear weaseled out of it by finding a loop
hole. I’m not sure if Lilly Ledbetter brought these claims to management before she decided to take it to
court but that was their chance to opt out and reimburse her for everything that she was owed. Goodyear
decided not to do what was morally right and decide it was easier to fight it out in court where they
actually lost the case. The only reason why the law suit was reversed was because it was not within the
180 day window. Lilly Ledbetter was obligated a fair share and did not receive her proper entitlement.
From this case we see Goodyear’s moral principle and who they are obligated to “themselves”. Goodyear
had a moral obligation to fulfil and fail miserably. Lilly Ledbetter was only asking to be compensated for
the income that she was due, the income that her male counter parts in the same position were getting
without question.
Discrimination of anyone or anything in the workplace is demoralizing, the deontological theory
by Immanuel Kant states to do what is objectively right. The ethical and morally right thing to do in this
Lilly Ledbetter case against Goodyear, was to compensate her for years of loyalty and dedication. Even
though she was getting short changed for years she still stayed. That tells me she was loyal to Goodyear
she even retired for the cooperation. The company just was not loyal to her and her years of service. The
company was obviously motivated by profit at the expense of its employees. The rule of business require
complete honesty, and when businesses strategically misrepresent themselves, they are on the side of
wrong and can be held legally responsible for their conduct (Fieser, 2015). No individual is meant to be
treated unfairly based on race, sex, religion or gender. From the case of Lilly Ledbetter and Goodyear it is
clear that she was treat unjust and unfairly. Being denied payment that you deserve due to an individual’s
sex is discrimination if I have ever seen it.
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1. The only reason why the
law suit was reversed was
because it was not within
the 180 day window.
What might this mean,
ethically? How does time
factor into ethics? [Larry
Baker]
2. The company was
obviously motivated by
profit at the expense of its
employees.
Does profit motive contradict
ethical obligation? [Larry
Baker]
Running head: Gender Discrimination
The deontological theory emphasizes the importance of seeing an individual for their worth and
work ethic and not their gender. The Supreme Court applied utilitarianism to the case of Lilly Ledbetter
vs Goodyear. I came to this conclusion because Lilly Ledbetter lost her case because the ruling of the case
was for the benefit of Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. Utilitarianism is the theory that an action is morally
right if the consequences of that action are more favorable that unfavorable to everyone (Fieser, 2015).
The court just made a cooperation of that magnitude richer. Increase the company’s pleasure and
happiness and reduce the company’s pain and suffering. They were not in interest of the plaintiff Lilly
Ledbetter.
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1. Utilitarianism is the
theory that an action is
morally right if the
consequences of that
action are more favorable
that unfavorable to
everyone
This is a strong contrast. The
conclusion, however, is
debatable. The main issue at
stake is whether or not the
legal stipulation of time is
utilitarian or deontological. It
seems as though the contrast
would be stronger between
motives that would decide the
case since the law was the
reason for the court's
decision. [Larry Baker]
Running head: Gender Discrimination
References
Brake, D. & Grossman, J. (2007). Title V11’s protection against pay discrimination: The impact of Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. Regional Labor Review, 10(1), 28-36. Retrieved form http://www/hofstra.edu/pdf/academics/colleges/hclas/cld/cld_rlr_fall07_title7_grossman.pdf
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Running head: Gender Discrimination
Fieser, J. (2015). Introduction to business ethics [Electronic version]. Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu/
Furchtgott, D. (2010). Testimony on the gender pay gap [Testimony before the Joint Economic Committee]. Retrieved from http://www.jec.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/2a1f8ad4-f649-4ad3-a742- 268d946962bd/furchgott-roth-tectimony.pdf
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