Purchase Solution

Ethical to Screen Employees?

Not what you're looking for?

Ask Custom Question

Do employers have the right to screen employees or potential employees to learn if they are smokers, have chronic disease, or are overweight? Discuss why or why not--provide a rationale for your position(s).

response is 515 words

Purchase this Solution
Solution Summary

This detailed solution examines if it is ethical for companies to screen smokers, or obese, or chronically ill workers from employment. It cites current laws and gives examples.

Solution Preview

Hi: This is a topical question!

For smokers, currently about 20% of US population smokes. Whether or not you can exclude smokers from the hiring process depends upon the state in which the business operates. Here is an article about a company that is excluding smokers: http://www.valleynewslive.com/Global/story.asp?S=13562193&clienttype=printable
It looks like it is a growing trend.

Note, you may not terminate an employee for being a smoker. This would fall under a pre-existing condition.
Would it be wise to exclude smokers? You might justify this decision by bringing up health issues (although smoking is primarily shunted to "smoker's only" sections of outdoor areas, increased cost of employee health program (smokers would cost company more), or productivity (days off might ...

Solution provided by:
Sally Baldwin, Ed.D
Education
  • BA, University of Southern California
  • MSS, United States Sports Academy
  • Ed.D, Boise State University
Recent Feedback
  • "Thk u"
  • "Thank you!:)"
  • "Thank you!:)"
  • "Thank you!:)"
  • "Thank you!:)"
Purchase this Solution
Free BrainMass Quizzes
Academic Reading and Writing: Critical Thinking

Importance of Critical Thinking

Team Development Strategies

This quiz will assess your knowledge of team-building processes, learning styles, and leadership methods. Team development is essential to creating and maintaining high performing teams.

Writing Business Plans

This quiz will test your understanding of how to write good business plans, the usual components of a good plan, purposes, terms, and writing style tips.

Basics of corporate finance

These questions will test you on your knowledge of finance.

Organizational Leadership Quiz

This quiz prepares a person to do well when it comes to studying organizational leadership in their studies.

View More Free Quizzes
Related BrainMass Solutions

  • Computer and Telephone Monitoring Systems

    The ethical issues do arise as to when the employees are not aware that their activities are being monitored. Many employers inform employees that their emails and phone calls are subject to random monitoring.

  • Psychological testing in the workplace

    Psychological testing in the workplace is on the rise, almost every big company uses some type of a test to screen individuals for employment. The ASVAB is used by all branches of the military to screen candidates.

  • Ethics - Paralegal

    The ethical problem here is that while the duty to screen was given to the paralegal as a data gatherer, the conclusion of whether the individual qualifies or has a case or not can only be made by the attorney.

  • ethics with examples

    Similarly, the companies may use ethical practices in hiring and compensation strategies of employees. The problem with this strategy is that it can impair the competitive position of the firm and can lead to loss of market share.

  • Business Ethics References

    3) Should employers be allowed to use polygraph tests to screen out potentially costly employees who may engage in illegal drug use or any of these activities? I'm having trouble with the ethical theories and would appreciate assistance.

  • Ethics in Screening

    As an example, Glassgold & Knapp (2008) found that many Christian and Jewish denominations rely on psychologists to screen or evaluate clergy for religious professions.

  • Legal and Ethical Considerations in Testing

    For example, it is legal to test accounting applicants with a math test, however, it could be considered a discriminatory practice to screen custodial employees with the same math test as the math competency for an account is very different than a custodian

  • Marketing - Product Position

    Samsung's employees should be provides authority, flexibility and decision making capability to think out of the box and come up with new and creative ideas.

  • staffing practices and selection tools

    In order to hire effectively, an organization should have a staffing system that provides a template, a model and a process for those who recruit, screen, interview and hire new employees.

View More Related Solutions