Assignment 2: Employment-At-Will Doctrine

Due Week 5 and worth 150 points

Imagine you are a recently-hired Chief Operating Officer (COO) in a midsize company preparing for an Initial Public Offering (IPO). You quickly discover multiple personnel problems that require your immediate attention.

1. John posted a rant on his Facebook page in which he criticized the company’s most important customer.

2. Ellen started a blog to protest the CEO’s bonus, noting that no one below director has gotten a raise in two (2) years and portraying her bosses as “know-nothings” and “out-of-touch”

3. Bill has been using his company-issued BlackBerry to run his own business on the side.

4. After being disciplined for criticizing a customer in an email (sent from his personal email account on a company computer), Joe threatens to sue the company for invasion of privacy.

5. One of the department supervisors requests your approval to fire his secretary for insubordination. Since the secretary has always received glowing reviews, you call her into your office and determine that she has refused to prepare false expense reports for her boss.

6. Anna’s boss refused to sign her leave request for jury duty and now wants to fire her for being absent without permission.

As an astute manager, you will need to analyze the employment-at-will doctrine and determine what, if any, exceptions and liabilities exist before taking any action. As you proceed with your investigation, you discover the company has no whistleblower policy.

In preparation for this assignment, use the Internet or Strayer Library to research your state’s employment-at-will policy.

Write a four to five (4-5) page paper in which you:

7. Summarize the employment-at-will doctrine discussed in the text and then evaluate three (3) of the six (6) scenarios described by determining:

a.  Whether you can legally fire the employee; include an assessment of any pertinent exceptions to the employment-at-will doctrine.

b. The primary action(s) that you should take to limit liability and impact on operations; specify the ethical theory that best supports your decision.

c. Examine your state’s policy on employment-at-will. Analyze at least one (1) real-world example of an employee or employer utilizing your state’s employment-at-will doctrine in the last five (5) years. Include a summary of the main issue and the outcome in the identified real-world example.

d. Use at least three (3) quality resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia is not an acceptable reference and proprietary Websites do not qualify as academic resources.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

Analyze and apply the concepts of freedom versus responsibility and ethical decision making.

Analyze and evaluate laws that protect against discrimination in the workplace.

Analyze and evaluate the employment-at-will doctrine and exceptions, as well as the protections afforded whistleblowers.

Explore the legal and ethical issues surrounding employee and consumer privacy.

Use technology and information resources to research issues in law, ethics, and corporate governance.

Write clearly and concisely about law, ethics, and corporate governance using proper writing mechanics.

Click here to view the grading rubric for this assignment

 
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Michael Pershan.  (2012, July 6).  What if Khan Academy was made in Japan? [Video file].  Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHoXRvGTtAQ

TED Talks.  (2011, March). Salman Khan: Let’s use video to reinvent education[Video file].  Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/salman_khan_let_s_use_video_to_reinvent_education.html

Instructor Notes (Please follow the teacher guide below)

EDU650 Week 4 Discussion 2:  Innovative or traditional?

Initial Post:  After you watch both videos, think about the focus of this week’s reading: delivering effective lessons that connect your students to learning.   

Since you watch two videos, you should at least reference these two (and include the matching in-text citations where you used the referenced material).  Check the AWC, or google Purdue OWL for guidance.  Keep in mind that most of the references are listed under the Course Materials in the Modules area of our course.

How do you reconcile the two different perspectives on learning exhibited in the videos? 

Your response

What relevance do you see in each perspective? 

Your response

In what ways, if any, does either approach to teaching and learning reflect constructivism? 

Your response

If you were asked to pick a side to support, which strategy would have a greater impact on ensuring students master twenty first century skills?  Explain your thinking.

Your response

References  (Note.  You are referring to both videos so they need to be referenced).  Check the Course Modules for how to cite the course materials.  Check the W4 D1 Instructor Notes for citation examples.

Your response

 
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Responding to peers.

Provide a strategy/suggestion of how educators can support this role of attachment positively in the classroom.

RESPOND TO PEER 1 THEN TO PEER 2 ON A DIFFERENT PAGE

PEER 1

Insecure/resistant/ambivalent attachment 

Is prominent when children are upset when their parent or caregiver leaves, then seek comfort from them when they come back. After the child has sought comfort, though, he or she becomes angry, irritated, or struggles to get away from their caregiver because the child is upset with the parent/caregiver for leaving them (Wardle 2013).

Parents may feel helpless because the child is never happy; their offspring is upset when they leave and when they return, making it hard to establish a secure attachment and trusting bond. I would advise parents and caregivers to enforce a routine for pick up and drop off from day care or school. Parents shouldn’t linger for more than 15 minutes or “tempt” their child into thinking that they will stay; this only further disembodies the trust the child has and is misleading. You also shouldn’t sneak out of the room without saying goodbye. Children need to know that they can trust their caregivers, so establishing a routine and encouraging a secure, healthy attachment is key. Parents also need to realize that children are going to cry and be upset, and that’s okay. Their emotions are valid, but their feelings cannot dictate the lives of the parents or caregivers. Once the child realizes that you will leave and then come back and not tolerate their anger or tantrums, they will begin to understand how to behave, and develop a more secure attachment. 

Children will be encouraged to play and participate in activities in the classroom, and tantrums or aggressive behavior will receive disciplinary actions. Teachers will help new children transition into the classroom schedule and environment, as well as advocate for positive relationships between the child and his/her parents or caregivers. 

PEER 2

Insecure/ambivalent attachment

1. Characteristics of this type of attachment to inform parents

1. Signs to look for include, infant or child getting really upset when parent leaves

2. Shows signs of clinginess to parents once they leave

3. Excessive crying when separated from parents

4. Can show signs of anger and irritability when parents return to pick them up

5. They can also show signs of a struggle when pulled away or trying to get away from parents.

Resistant

1. Characteristics of this type of attachment to inform parents

1. Infants have been known to ignore parents and continue to play once they arrive to go home

2. They are often angry at home

3. Hostile and unfeeling in their preschool or even with their peers.

2. Shared communication plan to engage parents

1. Use initial registration forms

2. Provide a parent bulletin board

3. Establish and maintain an open climate

4. Set up a parent library

5. Provide information on community agencies

6. Provide parent training

7. Provide communication in different languages

8. Examine parent teacher conferences

1. Suggestions that you would offer to foster a positive attachment in the classroom

1. We could offer family groups

2. We should offer ways for parents and children to gradiually ease the separation process at drop off.

3. Incorporating reminders of the parent to ease the attachment.

 
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In Chapter 8, Lopez sends a resounding message: “Assessment is not about you as a teacher; it is about your students” (p.97). He goes on to say that our reason for assessing students should be grounded in our commitment to use the information collected in a way that helps us generate greater success for our students. 

  • Share your perspective on Lopez’s quote and statement above. Describe how your mindset has changed or been validated.
  • Consider the 4 questions Lopez lists under “Defending our Assessment Practices” (p.98). How might you use these questions in your current or anticipated practice? What value might it add to your practice by keeping these questions in mind?
  • In what ways have you succeeded/failed to make students your partner in assessment?

Lopez, D. (2013). No excuses university: How six exceptional systems are revolutionizing our schools(2nd ed.). Turnaround Schools Publications.

  • Chapter 8: Assessment (p. 98)
    • This chapter addresses the “bureaucracy of assessment” and how to best use the leadership team to create components of the assessment plan.
 
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