Defining Legal and Ethical Responsibilities

In this post I wanted to clarify what it means to have legal and ethical responsibilities.  The following paragraphs contain the definitions for both legal responsibility and ethics.

The dictionary defines ethics as the body of moral principles or values governing or distinctive of a particular culture or group. It is also defined as a complex of moral precepts held or rules of conduct followed by an individual.  The major areas of ethical studies include:

Meta-ethics

It seeks to understand the issues of normative ethics. It also what we mean when we talk about what is right and what is wrong.

Normative ethics

The practical means of determining a moral cause of action.  This is the part of ethics that studies right and wrong.

Applied ethics

How moral outcomes can be achieved in specific situations.

There is also the public service ethics which is a set of principles that is designed to guide public officials.

Wikipedia defines responsibility in the context of the law as a measure of mental capacity used in an extent to which a person can be held accountable for a crime;

Specific duties imposed upon persons to care for or provide for others, and a persons role in causing an event to happen.

Whatever in a position at work or in society, we all have a duty to abide by the law and to maintain a standard of ethics. Depending on our profession, we may have to learn how to adapt to certain legal and ethical responsibilities. That isn’t always going to be easy but it something to take lightly. You want to be proud when representing a company (or yourself), and that is much easier to do when you hold yourself to high standards.

Received by: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethics 

                      http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ethics 

                      

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Legal and Ethical Responsibilities for Journalists

Journalists share with the society the things that they observe. World issues, local events, people, trends, entertainment, and politics are just some of the things journalists write about. When journalists are presenting material to the public, they face a lot of responsibility doing so. There is a standard of conduct and ethics when professional journalists work in media such as television, newspapers, magazines, and the internet. 

Journalists should know their rights, and the rights of everyone else. They also need to make sure they are compliant when it comes to legal issues. By doing this, a journalist will ensure that there is not conflict on confidential matters and privacy. Slanderous remarks by a journalist can cause legal problems for a journalist. Journalists also have a responsibility to present event accurately.  Failure to do so can result in a journalist being sued.

Journalists also have an ethical responsibility when reporting to the public.  Ethics codes offer journalists a framework in deciding what to report and how to report it.  Broadcasting should be based on the truth, and news headlines must closely reflect the contents of the article. A journalist should make every effort to verify a story before reporting it. A journalist needs to be cautious in determining their source of information is credible. If it is not credible, the journalist is not able to accurately report their story to the public.

Journalism is one of the many professions that have legal and ethical responsibilities.  Journalists have a responsibility to report their findings to the public through  various media  such as television, newspapers, magazines, and the internet. They have a huge responsibility to follow ethical rules so that they do not mislead the public in their stories. 

Retrieved by: http://www.ehow.com/list_6292918_duties-responsibilities-journalists.html

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Legal and Ethical Responsibilities of Doctors

I chose to do this post on the legal and ethical responsibilities of doctors. We have all been to a doctor during our lives, and they play an important role in our society. We would like to think that the practice legal and ethical responsibilities.

Doctors have a legal duty to keep their patient information confidential.  There may be times when a mandatory report is necessary. A mandatory report is when a doctor is required to report something to the appropriate agency. If a doctor fails to do this, it could result in a range of penalties. It is very important for patients to trust their doctor. Doctors are who we go to when there is something wrong with our health, so that trust is vital for patients to talk about sensitive subjects. Doctors can be required to include certain information and professional medical opinions in their reports. Legally, a doctor must report any suspicions of abuse or neglect of a child. The Children’s Aid Society must be notified when a doctor has these suspicions, even if they have been made before.

If a doctor suspects health care fraud, he or she must report it to the General Manager of OHIP. If a doctor treats a person with a communicable disease, a report needs to be made to the Medical Officer of Health to the appropriate unit where the health care services were provided. If a doctor discovers that a drug or narcotic has been lost or stolen,  the doctor must report it to the Office of Controlled Drugs and Substances, Federal Minister of Health within  days. A doctor  is not permitted to accept money or gifts in exchange for improved access to an insured health service.

As I mentioned above, doctors have a great responsibility. Aside from keeping us healthy, there are many legal issues doctors face on a daily basis. If a doctor fails to adhere to these responsibilities, the doctor’s practice may be compromised.  As patients, we feel more comfortable taking our health issues to a doctor who takes their profession seriously and abides by the law.

Received by http://www.cpso.on.ca/policies/policies/default.aspx?ID=1860

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Ethics in Management

Ethics in Management

There are several problems in business ethics.  Business ethics can be defined as the behaviour that a business adheres to in its daily dealings with the world. If a company doesn’t follow business ethics and breaks the law, they can end up being fined. Unfortunately there are many companies that think the amount of money they make outweigh the fines they are given. When that is the case, they cycle is repeated because even though the company is being fined, they are making so much money otherwise that they don’t give the fines a second thought.

Reasons for managers to behave ethically

From the view of the internal customer:

Improves the atmosphere in the workplace

Motivates the employees

Good ethic behaviour of managers sets a good example to employees

Instills pride in the company

From the view of the external customer:

Improves the public image of the company

Each corporation has an image that most likely will influence the public’s opinion.

Paying close attention to business ethics is quickly rising all around the world as many companies are understanding that they need the respect of their customers in order to grow and succeed. It is becoming common for companies to be held accountable for their actions. The demand for higher standards is growing and placing huge responsibilities on corporations.

The business world has a great demand for ethical values. Good ethics should be a daily part of every business. If managers practice good ethical values, they are setting a precedent to the rest of their company. If managers set an example for their company, it will be more likely for the rest of the employees to follow in their footsteps.

Received from http://www.enterweb.org/ethics.htm

                       http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-business-ethics.htm

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