In today’s workplaces, human resources professionals often take on the role of ethics advisors to managers and employees in the company. When workplace misconduct surfaces, the HR team may be called upon to assist in internal investigations and spread awareness of ethics issues to help prevent future code of ethics violations. HR professionals need to be able to recognize when ethical issues need to be addressed and understand how to develop techniques for resolving them. Join Angela Reddock-Wright, employment attorney, author and speaker, as she discusses practical strategies for identifying and resolving ethics issues in the workplace. Webinar attendees will learn: When to escalate ethics issues and to whom How to identify early warning signals of conflict between personal and work values How to address specific employment-related ethical issues and conflicts Leading strategies for handling ethical issues in the workplace Key elements of an organizational code of ethics How ethics affect a company’s bottom line

1. Handling Ethics Issues in the
Workplace
Angela J. Reddock-Wright, Esq.
The Reddock Law Group

2. Angela Reddock-Wright
Angela J. Reddock-Wright is the Founding and Managing
Attorney of The Reddock Law Group, a boutique employment
and labor law firm providing mediation, arbitration, workplace
investigation, workplace compliance training, and expert
witness services to clients. A former litigator, Reddock-Wright
has represented business clients in all aspects of employment
and labor law, including claims of wrongful termination,
harassment and discrimination.
An employment and labor lawyer for nearly 20 years, Reddock-
Wright is a recognized authority on employment and labor law
and workplace issues. She is an Adjunct Faculty member in the
UCLA Extension Business, Management and Legal program.
Reddock-Wright is a published author, legal commentator and
workplace blogger. You can follow her blog at
www.your-workmatters.com.

3. What is Ethics?
Simply Put
Merriam-Webster Dictionary:
• rules of behavior based on ideas
of what is morally good and bad
• a belief that something is very
important
• a theory or system of moral
values
In Business
A set of standards and values that
define how a business will manage
and respond to certain behavior and
promote the greater good.
IN HUMAN RESOURCES:
A set of standards and values that
defines how a business will
manage, interact with and engage
its employees.

4. Can We/Should We Attempt to Manage
Ethics in the Workplace?
Work is not church or a religious movement.
A person who is fundamentally honest doesn't need a code of ethics. The
Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount are all the ethical code
anybody needs." -- Harry S. Truman
How can we manage morals, ethics and values in the workplace?
Should we event attempt to?
Integrity has no need of rules.” --Albert Camus
4

5. Can’t We All Just Get Along?
Aren’t ethics universal?
Aren’t we all bound by a common set of moral standards and values?
Why do we need a common set of standards and guidelines?
Can we hold people to a standard of just doing the right thing?
For example: The Golden Rule - Do Unto Others As You Would Have Them
Do Unto You
What are some other universally known and common ethics principles
and sayings?
5

6. Common and Universal Ethics Themes In
Human Culture
People should:
• respect the rights of others
• keep their promises
• be honest
• take responsibility for their actions
• act in the best interests of others
• help others in need when possible
• be fair
From Ethics in the Workplace, 3rd
Edition, Dean A. Bredson, Keith Goree, South-
Western Cenage Learning 2012, 2007
6

7. Ethics Credos of Some Famous People
We Know
Be more concerned with your
character than your reputation,
because your character is what you
really are, while your reputation is
merely what others think you are.“ –
John Wooden
Honesty is the cornerstone of all
success, without which confidence
and ability to perform shall cease to
exist.” --Mary Kay Ash
”Real integrity is doing the right thing,
knowing that nobody's going to know
whether you did it or not.” --Oprah
Winfrey
”The greatest homage we can pay
to truth is to use it.” —Ralph
Waldo Emerson
Honesty is the first chapter in the
book of wisdom.” --Thomas
Jefferson
WHAT IS YOUR PERSONAL
ETHICS CREDO?

8. How Do Most People Develop Their
Ethical Beliefs and Values?
Religious Beliefs – based on our religious upbringings and beliefs
Authority – an action or belief is important because someone important said so.
Culture – based on the beliefs of one’s cultural, ethnic or national background.
Morality – a common set of beliefs among most human beings, despite cultural
background and other experiences.
Law & Order - based on what the law says.
Intuition – something that we are born with.
Reason – based on logic and a set of experiences that have formed our beliefs.
From Ethics in the Workplace, 3rd
Edition, Dean A. Bredson, Keith Goree, South-Western
Cenage Learning 2012, 2007
8

9. What Words Do You Live By?
What is your personal ethics credo?
How do you use or apply this credo in your role
as a human resources/ethics professional?
9

10. The Problem
Although there are some universal ethics themes and
principles, for the most part, our individual ethics are
shaped based on our own moral and ethical backgrounds
and experiences.
Hence, when it comes to the workplace, it is important that
we create a common set of ethical principles and
guidelines that govern the workplace.

11. How Do Ethics Issues
Arise in the Workplace?
11

12. In What Areas Do Ethics Issues Arise in
Today’s Workplace?
Internal Relations
– Board/Executive Relations
– Manager/Employee Relations
– Human Resources/Employee Relations
External Relations
– Stockholders
– Consumers
– Customers
12

13. Specific Ethics Issues in Human
Resources
Recruitment & Hiring Practices
Discrimination & Harassment
Company Resource Abuse
Abusive Behavior
Lying to Employees
Email or Internet Abuse
Conflicts of Interest
Lying to a Customer or External Stakeholder
Employee Benefits Violations
Health or Safety Violations
Employee Privacy Breach
Falsifying time or expenses
13

14. Balancing of Interests
How do you as a human
resources/ethics professional
balance your role and
obligation to the
company/organization, while
also effectively managing and
representing the interests of
employees?

15. What are some ethical approaches to
resolving workplace issues?
Utilitarian
Rights
Fairness/Justice
Common Good
Virtue
Partial Source: Ethics in the Workplace, 3rd
Edition, Dean A. Bredson, Keith Goree, South
Western Cenage Learning 2012, 2007
15

16. Utilitarian Approach
The ethical action is the one that will
produce the greatest balance of benefits over harms.
Key Question: What is the potential
impact of your decision on
everyone?
16

17. Rights Approach
The ethical action is the one that
most dutifully respects the rights of all affected.
Key Question:
Is the person exercising a right? (i.e. the
right to vote, the right to free speech, the right
to a jury of your peers)
Do employees have guaranteed rights in the
workplace?
17

18. Duty Approach
The ethical action is based on doing something because
you have a moral obligation do so. The opposite of the
“rights approach.”
Key Question:
Is there a moral obligation to act ethically? (i.e. to feed the homeless, to
take care your children or parents?)
Do moral rights exist in the workplace?
18

19. Virtues Approach
The ethical action is the one that embodies the habits and
values of humans at their best.
Key Question:
What is the right thing to do based on general principles that are
deemed good in and of themselves and not because of the
consequences (i.e. ideas of honesty, loyalty, respect, responsibility,
self-discipline, compassion and courage. What is good or moral?)
19

20. Common Good Approach
The ethical action is the one that is for the
“greater good” and that contributes most to the
achievement of a quality common existence.
Key Question:
What decision or action creates the greatest common good?
20

21. Fairness/Justice Approach
The ethical action is the one that treats people equally, or if
unequally, that treats people proportionately and fairly.
Key Questions:
What is the fair and equitable thing to do? What have we done in the
past? Are we being consistent in our decision(s)?
21

22. Which Approach Works Best?
Which approach would work best in your
work environment?
Which approach, if any, is used in your
current work environment?
22

23. Strategies for Examining Ethical
Issues in the Workplace

24. Are You Responsible for Reporting or
Upholding Ethical Behavior?
Does your position require you
to act?
Is there a possible harm or risk
to others if you do not act?
Are you personally involved?
Did you case the harm?
What is the cost or risk of acting
or not acting?
Is there a solution to the
problem?
Source: Markkula Center for Applied Ethics

25. One Possible Strategy: The 6 Step Approach
1. Obtain Relevant Facts
2. Identify the ethical issues from the facts
3. Determine who is impacted
4. Identify the alternatives available to the person who must resolve
the dilemma
5. Identify the likely consequences of each alternative
6. Decide the appropriate action

26. Second Possible Strategy: 3 Questions
by Blanchard & Peale
Is it legal?
Is it balanced?
Is it right?
Source: The Power of Ethical
Management by Kenneth Blanchard
& Norman Vincent Peale, 1988

27. Third Possible Strategy: Does it Click?
What are the consequences if I do this? Who will benefit?
Who will suffer?
Is it legal?
Would I like to see this as my image on the front page of the
newspaper? Would I like to tell this to my kids?
Does this decision support or damage our organizational culture
and values?
Does it cause a knot in my stomach?
Source: 2006 HR Leadership Conference
27

28. Fourth Possible Strategy: PLUS
Polices and Professional Considerations
Laws and/or Regulations
Universal Principles
Self (Personal Values or Standards)
Source: Keith Greene, SHRM Conference
28

29. Fifth Possible Strategy: A Scored Ethical
Checklist Model
29

30. 30

32. How do you know when you have
an ethics problem in your organization?

33. 7 Signs of Ethical Challenges within a
Company/Organization
Pressure to Maintain Numbers
Fear & Silence
Young & Charismatic Leaders
A Weak Board of Directors
Source: Seven Signs of Ethical Collapse,
Marianne Jennings
Cultures of Conflict
A Disregard for the Rules
The Mask of Being A “Good
Corporate Citizen”/High-Profile
Philanthropy

34. Characteristics of Ethical Leaders
and Employees
LEADERS
Strong Personal Character
Passion to Do Right
Proactive
Consider Stakeholder Interests
Role Models for the Organization’s Values
Transparent and Actively Involved in
Organizational Decision Making
Competent Managers
Have a Holistic View of the
Company’s/Organization’s Ethical
Culture
EMPLOYEES
Honest
Respectful
Integrity
Industrious
Loyal
What do you believe are the
characteristics of an ethical
leader/employee?

35. Building An Effective Ethics Program for
Your Company/Organization
How do you begin to build and/or
expand the ethics program for your
company or organization?
35

36. Key: Stakeholder Buy-In
Board & Company Leadership
Investors
EMPLOYEES
Customers
Suppliers & Vendors
External Community

37. Benefits of a Company/ Organizational
Ethics Program
Employee commitment and trust
Investor loyalty and trust
Customer/community satisfaction
and trust
Helps the company/organization in
meeting its business (financial) goals
and/or public mission

39. Next: Develop/Update Key Policies &
Procedures, Training, Accountability
Develop and/or Update Key Policies & Procedures
– Mission & Values Statements
– Employee Handbook
– Code of Conduct
– Conflicts of Interest Policy
– Whistleblower Policy/1-800 Hotline or Other Method for Reporting Complaints or
Violations
– Strict Policy Against Retaliation
Conduct Annual Training of All Internal Stakeholders
Require Accountability at All Levels Within the Organization (e.g.
build into the performance review process)
39

40. The Minimum Requirements of an
Effective Ethics & Compliance Program
A Code of Conduct, Including a
Conflicts of Interest Policy
Training for the Leadership &
Staff of the Organization
An Empowered Ethics Officer or High-
Level Employee Who is Responsible
for the Program
Monitoring, Audit & Reporting
Systems
Strong Enforcement of the
Standards & Punishment
No Discretionary Duties Given to
Individuals Who May Be Likely to
Break the Rules
Continuous improvement and
evaluation of the program

41. Sample Corporate Compliance Program

42. Sample Code of Conduct (p1-2)

43. Sample Code of Conduct (p3-4)

44. Sample Code of Conduct (p5-6)

45. Sample Code of Conduct (p7-8)

46. Sample Code of Conduct (p9-10)

47. Sample Code of Conduct (p11)

48. Conflicts of Interest Disclosure Statement and Affirmation
of Compliance for Board Members & Executive Leadership

49. Sample Corporate Business & Ethics
Programs
Sample Template: Society of Human Resources Professionals (SHRM)
http://www.shrm.org/templatestools/samples/policies/pages/cms_014093.a
Chevron Corporation
http://www.chevron.com/documents/pdf/chevronbusinessconductethicscod

50. Top-Rated Ethical Companies
See the 2014 List of the
World’s Top Ethical Companies
at Ethisphere
http://ethisphere.com/worlds-most-ethical/

51. 51 © Angela Reddock-Wright

52. Thank-you for Participating in
Today’s Webinar
Angela J. Reddock-Wright, Esq.
The Reddock Law Group
(213) 996-8474
angela@reddocklaw.com
www.reddocklaw.com
Contact us at i-Sight
j.gerard@i-sight.com