There are two parts to creating an ethically sustainable economy. There is the necessity for a business owner to have freedom to effectively run a business according to standards and morals. However, employees do all the work to build the economy. Shifts in popular trends might lead to the dismissal and unemployment of millions of Americans. The larger functionality of a moral business is to hire employees based on ability to perform a job and supply jobs for the workforce.
There are logical reasons for limiting the scope of potential employment. Most of the time, a company develops one type of industry. In manufacturing and production, employees must stand and work efficiently with high paced machinery. A minimal level of physical health and focus is required.
Illegal drug use is unacceptable. Prescriptions drugs are fine. Some companies offer benefits to transition from illegal drugs to prescription drugs.
There have been several cases of agism that required assistance from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Someone can be elderly and qualified. Several elderly people find physically demanding work stressful, yet the employer is able to hire elderly and women to screen their ability to work effectively.
Another reason to legally discriminate against applicants are driving records, criminal backgrounds and felonies. Felons need jobs.
With a reasonable amount of concern, a delivery company should not hire reckless drivers to make deliveries. A bank should not hire a larcenist to handle money. A car dealership should not hire a car thief to sell cars. Someone with an awful driving record can be a bank teller. Transportation is not a functional part of the job. They can find rides from friends, walk or take public transportation. Having a requirement of owning and legally driving a car is discrimination. Discrimination against bad drivers and people who can afford to own a car. Low income living requires steady paychecks.
Certificates and licensing verifies an individual possesses computer, math and language skills to perform tasks in specialty fields. Degrees and work experience also verify skills. In a computer job, a person must know specific applications. The company does not want to pay for additional training.
With so many rules in favor of protecting business owners when does discrimination against appearance and lifestyle become valid?
A growing trend in the United States is anti-smoking propaganda. In the past, people were concerned about smokers. They wanted smokers to be happier and healthier. An early propaganda commercial portrays a boy not wanting to date a girl because she smokes.
There is a similar commercial today. A parent calls a boy to remind him not to drink alcohol. Is it implied she would date him? It becoming a common assumption. In fact, the commercial implies she may no longer want to talk to him or feel distance in the relationship because he chooses to maintain religious dogma. This implies a different relationship of friends not being real friends if lost over something so trivial. This implies that people who drink alcohol are not good friend to non-alcoholics. There is no reason to believe she respects him and understands his religious beliefs. There is no reason to believe she disrespects him for his religious beliefs.
Campaigns against smokers became personal. Commercials focus on people with diseases like heart attack and leprosy. There is no scientific proof these disease were caused by smoking. Several non-smokers die from these diseases every year. There is a statement excessive smoking can contribute to the disease being less operable. Most diseases have a maximum pain threshold. It does not get worse or less painful in the later stages of a disease.
Hate mongering is not acceptable. People are entitled to freedom of speech and opinions about healthy lifestyle. When anger and mob mentality over people living life as they see fit, it is bigotry. When a business establishes hiring practices around malice statements in the media, it is discrimination. Everyone need to earn money honestly and afford housing.
There are several personal choices a person makes: take prescription drugs, buy environmentally safe products, not buy environmentally safe products, drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes, listen to controversial music, wear too much black or wear too much pink. It is possible to say employees must bath and wear clothing. There is a limitation to how invasive a business or government is may interfere in anyone's personal freedoms.
Freedom is not allowing anyone to do what they want. It is being able to make personal decision without threat by other people. People want to practice religion freely, speak freely and also make decisions for how they want to live. This should be a realistic ideal free from harassment or tyranny from any special interest group or government mandate.
Related Article
At Home Humanitarianism
Obligations of Success
External Links
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
United States Department of Justice
