This is an individual
assignment that each student must submit his/her own report.
We all need to be ethical in our dealings with others, and
often practical ethics means avoiding even the appearance of wrongdoing. It is important to understand the legal
limits on behavior, so that we can set our own ethical system well inside the
boundaries of what is legal. Also, some
of the legal restrictions are unexpected, and make it possible to do wrong by
accident.
Below is a (by no means
all-inclusive) list of legal regulations on daily professional behavior.
|
Activity |
Body of Law that Restricts it |
|
Using another company’s inventions, logos, slogans, |
Copyright, patent, and trademark laws |
|
Disclosing “material” public information to a few people |
Regulation Fair Disclosure (Reg FD) |
|
Using material non-public information to make investment |
“Insider trading” laws |
|
Not disclosing income |
Tax laws |
|
Misstating earnings, shipments, costs, or other material |
Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) |
|
Accepting gifts from vendors / Giving gifts to customers |
Federal employee guidelines, company policy |
|
Cooperating with competitors to set prices or restrict |
Racketeering laws (RICO) |
|
Practices that discourage competition |
Anti-monopoly laws, and possibly racketeering laws |
|
Unsafe equipment or practices in an office or jobsite |
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) |
|
Performing actions in a foreign country that would be |
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act |
|
Exporting materials without proper certification – |
Export control laws |
Homework: Pick three examples (3 rows) of “body of
law”. Write 1 paragraph each on the law
and how it affects engineers.
Cite references.
