Arlene Homes has been a secretary for a multibillionaire technology company for six years. Recently, she began to feel uncomfortable when a top-level senior executive in the company started to make advances at her. He often touches her inappropriately and even makes inappropriate adult jokes in her presence. Pornographic photographs and a direct invitation to, “meet at 9 tonight in Room 26 at the Blue Ranch Suites” was the last straw! She sued the company. During discussions she was offered an extremely large monetary settlement. The agreement requires Arlene to sign that the executive did nothing wrong and she is prohibited from publicly discussing the incident. Before the date scheduled to sign, Arlene's lawyer heard that the executive had done this before and that the settlement amount was very large because the company probably had a legal obligation to dismiss the executive previously. The company, however, wants to keep the executive because he makes big money for the business.
A. Briefly outline TWO (2) ethical issues in this case. (4 marks)
B. Use TWO (2) persuasive ethical arguments to assess the company’s response to Miss Homes. (6 marks)
C. As head of the newly formed Ethics Committee, advise top-level management of FIVE (5) strategies they can adopt to minimise or avoid sexual harassment issues in the organisation. (10 marks)