14-1. Why have managers needed to place greater emphasis on employee rights in recent years?

14-2. Do employers have rights? If so, what are these rights?

14-3. National Medical Enterprises, Inc., a $4 billion operator of hospitals and psychiatric treatment centers, faced criminal probes for practices such as widespread overbilling and fraudulent diagnoses to extend patients’ hospital stays. Investigators found that NME’s top management urged hospital administrators to adopt “intake” goals designed to lure patients into hospitals for lengthy and unnecessary treatments. Hospital staffers were also urged to admit fully half of all patients who came in for an evaluation. Suppose a hospital staffer at NME refused to admit patients for whom she felt treatment was unnecessary. Could her refusal be considered insubordination? If the same staffer considered exposing fraudulent diagnoses to an outside agency, what whistle-blowing precautions would she be wise to consider before going public with her case?

14-4. When a whistle-blower steps forward and discloses corruption or misconduct performed by a manager, how does a company benefit? What can HR staff working with management do to reduce the fear and risk to employees from being a whistle-blower?

14-5. Can you think of a job-related reason why a company would decide to restrict dating between employees and enforce a no-dating policy? Do you think employers have a right to restrict any or all of the following off-duty conduct of their employees: (1) smoking cigarettes; (2) engaging in high-risk leisure activities such as skiing, motocross racing, rock climbing, or sky diving; (3) actively supporting a radical political candidate in an election; (4) having a romantic affair outside of the marriage relationship; and (5) joining a religious cult that preaches hatred against minorities? Justify your answer.