LAYOFFS AND EMPLOYEE DISCIPLINE: BUSINESS ETHICS ISSUES

The purpose of this paper is to examine from an ethical pint of view employee disciplinary process and layoffs. In the first part, we have discussed the requirements of an ethical discipline procedure, which regard practices that are sanctioned, the characteristics of rules that are imposed, the system of sanctions and disciplinary procedure. In the second part, we have analyzed layoffs and we argued that they are legitimate if some conditions are met. These conditions refer to how the management should communicate with employees, select the laid-off employees, and mitigate the harm incurred to employees and communities. We have finished with some conclusions.