5-2 Project Two

In this project, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following competency:

• Differentiate between matters of law and matters of ethics in business situations

Scenario

Evaluate the issues raised by employee Daris Jones in the situation below. Determine if the company is acting legally and ethically in its use of the WorkWhen! system. Read the scenario and respond to the questions that follow for analysis.

Apex Retail Corp, a national chain of retail stores, recently implemented the WorkWhen! GPS tracking system. Employees have been directed to install the system on their phones, which they are required to carry for scheduling, communication, and logistics.

The Issue: The WorkWhen! app uses GPS to track employee locations. Apexs policy states that this tracking is primarily for ensuring the safety of its employees during work-related travel and to monitor vehicle use for delivery tasks. However, the apps functionality is active 24/7, even outside of work hours. The app can zero in on restaurants, churches, clubs, bars, and every other location an employee visits when not working. A new AI application can also provide the employer with detailed information about the locations trackedthe name of the business, its purpose, and other related information.

Several employees have expressed concerns about being monitored during their personal time, such as while they were attending medical appointments, going to social events, or even going on vacations. One employee, Darius Jones, tested the tracking by checking the apps activity log. He discovered that his supervisor had access to detailed location data for his off-hours activities. One evening a week, he attends an anonymous alcohol recovery program, and he is uncomfortable that the tracker can identify exactly where he is and why.

When Darius raised concerns, his manager Mike claimed the tracking was harmless and purely for operational purposes. Mike then explained that it is important for employees to realize that they represent the company when theyre on and off the clock. After Darius disabled the tracking feature during his time off, he was reprimanded for noncompliance with company policy. This reprimand led Darius to file a complaint with a state labor board, alleging an invasion of privacy and retaliation for asserting his rights.

Directions

Report

Evaluate the ethical and legal implications of advances in technology in business. Your evaluation should be framed as a report for the owner, Apex Retail, that includes the sections and information listed below. Cite your sources using APA style.

1. Introduction
2. Include a definition of ethics and an explanation of how ethics compares to law.
3. Provide an explanation of corporate social responsibility and how it relates to ethical business practices.
4. Analysis
5. Provide a summary of the ethical and legal issues involved in this situation.
6. Briefly describe the relevant stakeholders, key facts, and potential implications or impact of the situation. Elaborate and explain your answers.
7. For example, does Apexs policy and use of WorkWhen! violate state or federal privacy laws, such as the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) and Work or Biometric Privacy Laws?
8. Is it ethical for Apex to track employees during their personal time, even if no misuse of the data is alleged?
9. Should companies be allowed to enforce policies that impact employee autonomy outside of work hours?
10. What are the potential implications of such policies and decisions?
11. Recommendation: Include a viable recommended course of action.
12. What safeguards should Apex implement to ensure the system is used only for its intended purpose?
13. How could Apex address employee concerns while maintaining operational needs?
14. Conclusion: Describe how advances in technology in the modern business world have both legal and ethical implications.

Ethical Test or Framework

Select a test or framework for Apex to use in evaluating the use of a tracking device on employees. Demonstrate how the ethical theory you chose could be used when faced with an ethical dilemma. Cite your sources using APA style.

1. Test or framework
2. Select a test or framework option from among those described in the textbook.
3. Name the option you selected and describe the test or framework, including its advantages and potential shortcomings.
4. Explain why the test or framework that you selected is appropriate for this company; justify your selection.
5. Apply the test or framework to the scenario to demonstrate how Apex could have used it to guide its use of employee monitoring tools.

What to Submit

Your submission should be a 4- to 6-page Microsoft Word document with 12-point Times New Roman font, double spacing, and one-inch margins. Sources should be cited according to APA style.