ARTICLE 16 - THE IMPORTANCE OF ETHICS IN HRM

The importance of ethics in HRM
By Holly Castleberry


Ethics have long been a sticking point for human resources, but a renewed interest in their relevance to HR leaders has been stirred thanks to actions currently underway at the NFPLA.

At the end of August, HR leader for the National Football League Players Association (NFPLA) filed a lawsuit claiming she was wrongfully removed from her job. In her complaint, Mary Moran claims she was removed because she assisted in an investigation into allegations that the players' union and league officials were in cahoots, discussing labor talks.

According to Moran, she provided investigators with evidence that members of the union - including the former NFPLA president - had met with league commissioners, allegedly to provide the league access to "critical" union information. She claims the meetings were a bid by union members to gain influence with the NFL.

In terms of ethics, the implications of these claims are clear. Whilst, like all employees, HR executives ultimately report to management and have to have a responsibility to protect the interests of the organization, they also have to have an ethical obligation to their profession.

For Moran, who is now seeking more than $4 million in damages, she claims that she was harassed by union officials and that her professional reputation has been tarnished due to her co-operation to the investigation.

Whether her claims are dismissed or found to legitimate, only time will tell; but, regardless of the outcome, Moran's case does highlight what can happen when HR finds itself caught between the organization and the law.

According to reports, it is not uncommon for HR executives to find themselves in situations where they feel they are being asked to do something that appears to be a violation of the law. In such a situation, however, the HR executive has a responsibility to do what is necessary to comply with the law, particularly considering an HR executive's actions in violating the law or permitting others to do so will be the responsibility of the employer.

Therefore the advice for HR professionals is to realize that ethics are what provide them with their professional status. Then, and only then, can HR challenge those situations, like Moran's, that push the boundaries of the ethical code.

SOURCE : http://www.hrmreport.com/news/ethics-in-hrm/