Ethical considerations

You have a legal, as well as an ethical, obligation to provide a safe and equitable workplace for your employees. Some programs to be aware of include:

• Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA).
• Affirmative Action. The goal of affirmative action is to provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified persons.
• Wellness Programs. Support for programs which encourage mental and physical health such as exercise, stress reduction, personal counseling, smoking clinics, etc. This recognizes the connections between wellness and increased productivity in the workplace.

Responsibility for the environmental impacts of your business is another important ethical consideration. Environmental ethics and protections are increasingly reinforced with government regulations and penalties so noncompliance can become a serious issue. Be aware of the regulations that relate to your business.

Other sites of interest:

• National Service Center for Environmental Publications
• Workplace Issues
• Small Business Environmental Home Page
• US Justice Dept ADA Home Page
• Americans with Disabilities Information Center
• American Association for Affirmative Action
• Ethics Toolkit for the Workplace
• Prevention Online
• The 10 Commandments for Computer Ethics
• Employees and Contractors
• Sample Sexual Harrassment Policy

This document was prepared by the San Joaquin Delta College Small Business Development Center. Send comments to: Gillian Murphy

Acknowledgements, disclaimers, etc.