Module 10: Ethics of IT Organizations Flashcards
What is contingent work?
Contingent work is a job situation in which an individual does not have an explicit or implicit contract for long-term employment.
How can organizations obtain contingent workers?
Organizations can obtain contingent workers through temporary staffing firms, employee leasing organizations, and professional employment organizations (PEOs).
What is the role of temporary staffing firms?
Temporary staffing firms recruit, train, and test job seekers in a wide range of job categories and skill levels, and then assign them to clients as needed.
What is employee leasing?
In employee leasing, the subscribing firm transfers all or part of its workforce to the leasing firm, which handles all human-resource-related activities and costs. The subscribing firm leases these workers, but they remain employees of the leasing firm.
What is a coemployment relationship?
A coemployment relationship is one in which two employers have actual or potential legal rights and duties with respect to the same employee or group of employees.
What is a professional employment organization (PEO)?
A PEO hires the employees of its clients and assumes all responsibility for human resource management functions, while the client company remains responsible for directing and controlling the daily activities of the employees.
What is the gig economy?
The gig economy refers to a work environment where temporary positions are common and organizations contract with independent workers for short-term engagements.
What is an independent contractor?
An independent contractor provides services to another individual or organization according to terms defined in a written contract or verbal agreement.
What legal risks do organizations face with contingent workers?
Organizations must be careful about how they pay and treat contingent workers to avoid class action lawsuits over misclassification of workers.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of employing contingent workers?
Advantages include not having to provide benefits, adjusting the number of workers as needed, and avoiding training costs. Disadvantages include a low level of worker commitment and loss of skills and knowledge when workers leave.
What is an H-1B visa, and why do employers use it?
An H-1B is a temporary work visa for people in specialty occupations that require at least a bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience. Employers use H-1B workers to meet critical business needs or obtain essential technical skills not readily found in the U.S.
What are the requirements and challenges associated with H-1B visas?
Employers must offer a wage that is at least 95% of the average salary for the occupation. Challenges include ethical concerns over wages and the impact on American workers, as well as visa caps set by Congress.
What is outsourcing, and what are its benefits and challenges?
Outsourcing is a long-term business arrangement where a company contracts for services with an outside organization. Offshore outsourcing involves services provided by employees in a foreign country. Benefits include meeting staffing needs, reducing costs, and speeding up project schedules. Challenges include managing ethical issues and ensuring effective project management.
What is whistle-blowing?
Whistle-blowing is an effort to attract public attention to a negligent, illegal, unethical, abusive, or dangerous act by a company or organization.
What are whistle-blower protection laws?
These laws allow employees to alert authorities to unethical, illegal, or unsafe employer actions. However, no comprehensive federal law protects all whistle-blowers from retaliation.
