Final Paper

Introduction

Sexual harassment is the unethical behavior of bullying somebody to do one's bidding in a sexual manner. This can also be the inappropriate promises of giving rewards or undue advantage in exchange for a sexual act. The company setting is built around employees and this is what marks the success or failure of the company. It is imperative to have the employees work or operate in a conducive environment in order for them to achieve their goals. Sexual harassment can occur in the office scenario when the higher-ranking worker tries to ask a low-level worker for a sexual favor in exchange for another favor. Another scenario of the predicament can be that of a low-level worker trying to offer sex in exchange for undue assistance and favor such as promotions and pay rise. This behavior is unethical in the office because it creates tension in the workplace. This polarization of employees will be due to those who know how someone got a promotion and do not approve or it versus the people involved in the sexual scandal. Also, the person being approached can be put in a negative position as he or she decides if to give in to the advances and collect the prize or be ethical and get nothing.

The productive office setting is one that puts great emphasis on the family unit. It can be assumed works that have successful marriages are more likely to be responsible people in the office. The assumption here is that if they can manage the hustles and bustles of maintaining a family then they can easily manage the pressures of the office. Sexual harassment is a known nemesis to the family unit as it puts the individual in a difficult poison especially if it is their job position being traded for sex. Once this family unit has being destroyed then it can be assumed that domestic wrangles will negatively affect the output of the individual leading to the decrease in the productivity of the office.

Ethical Theories

Sexual assault can be analyzed via ethical theories. One theory used will be the utilitarian theory of ethics. This theory suggests that the best moral activity or action is one that increases and maximizes utility. This is a consequentialist theory hence the actions of an individual is what determine the outcome or the consequences. The theory deals with the increased utility being the causative agent of the action being done. This utility is the maximum profit or happiness one gets from an event or action less the pain or loss incurred. This will enable the analysis of sexual harassment, the effort put in and the expected gain or loss. This will enable one to highlight if it is worth undertaking the action or not.

The second theory will be the deontological theory of ethics. Sexual assault often occurs in the office setting because people want to use a shortcut in order to achieve success quickly. This theory is centered on the ethics of obligation or the ethics of duty. This will enable the analysis of the obligation of the worker and that of the supervisor or boss. This enables one to highlight the how duties are important and why shortcuts are not productive in the end.

Legal Analysis

One of the legal areas to be analyzed will be equal opportunity in the workplace. Sexual harassment creates added criteria when job applicants are being selected. People who offer sex are then employed while those who refuse are shunned. This analysis will enable one to highlight the inequality of selection created by sexual harassment. The other area to be analyzed in sexual harassment will be the right and freedom of the individual. This will highlight the legal framework that has been erected to protect the worker from such conduct.

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