Payroll Case Essay

Kudler Fine Foods uses a biometric time system which requires the usage of time clocks to monitor the time employees engaged in work responsibilities. The method requires the use of a finger touch pad to identify the numerous time punches made by the employee. The employees information is entered upon hired into the company’s payroll system. Based on the numerous time punches made, the organization evaluates the employees work hours and computes the employees salary. The computation for employee salary includes â€Å"regular time, overtime time, bonuses, holiday pay, vacation pay, etc.† and both federal and state deductions as well as other government deductions and individual benefit deductions such as 401(k) contributions to the employee’s salary (Apollo Group Inc., 2013). Although, this is an effective method to monitor employee work hours and compete payroll, the company’s current system is not directly linked amongst the three operating subsidiaries. The purchase of an industry-specific software can help integrate the flow of information from the three locations by establishing an effective method of recording all of the data and feeding the database. This could prove to be cost-effective considering the expense associated with the development of a customized software. However, some modifications may be required for an industry-specific software in order to suit the company’s demands. The idea is to integrate the three subsidiaries and create a better way of obtaining information and storing data. The system may require a modification to how employee hours are recorded according to the software’s specifications. The process will should remain similar to Kudler’s Fine Foods existing procedure requiring the need to store personal information such as exemptions and other personal data for taxing purposes. The system will maintain employee records and any update made to those records. The employee personnel responsible for administrating payroll can view this information via the integrated system and make adjustments if necessary using proper clearance by a member of management. This system will add value by improving the effectiveness of flow of data and by ensuring that there is sufficient evidence to support payroll computations amongst the subsidiary stores. References Apollo Group Inc., (2007, 2010, 2011, 2013). Kudler Fine Foods. Finance & Accounting; Accounting System Overview. Retrieved on February 11, 2013 from the University of Phoenix.

Consensual Relationship Agreement Essay

Abstract As companies begin to acknowledge the existence of work place romances, the use of consensual relationship agreements (CRAs) has become an area of discussion. While many of today’s organizations prohibit the romantic involvement of its employees with one another, there are other companies that have adopted the use of consensual relationship agreements. Although employers find the CRAs an easy solution to this situation, the employees romantically involved, employees are against the agreement, arguing that the contract is intrusive in their personal lives. They go further on their arguments, stating that the agreement is an invasion of their privacy, and that the document goes against some ethical principles. From the Human Resources professionals perspective, they will try their best to make sure employees and employer agree with the contract and are happy with the situation, so a negative influence do not impact other coworkers, and their performances will not affect their jo bs. 1. Critics of CRAs assert that they are too intrusive, ineffective, and unnecessary and that they can cause as many problems as they solve. Identify the specific reasons and examples that might justify these criticisms. Critics are relying on the concern-for-others principles that focus on â€Å"the need to consider decisions and behaviors from the perspective of those affected†, which in this case, are the employees who sign the Consensual Relationship Agreements. Employees who are romantically involved at work and are asked to sign the agreement, may consider getting into their personal life too intrusive. Informing an employer of a relationship should be a decision made based by both parties involved, and not imposed. CRAs can be ineffective because even after signing the agreement, an employee may be discontent with the invasion of privacy, and according to the Human Resource Management, on their Workplace Romance Poll conducted in 2009, they found that: â€Å" Our experi ence was if a company tried to forbid it, more people started dating for the thrill of it† (Hellriegel & Slocum, 2011). With that in mind, when employees romantically involved disagree with the policies of the contract, they will tend to act against the agreement’s policies. In order to avoid a break of the agreement, the policy must clearly identify who is protected, and explain that the contract works in favor of all three parties involved. Some human resources managers also argue that even with the terms in the contract being clearly and rigorous, that will not make the couple act professionally while at work and many other effects of workplace romance, and therefore, they classify as ineffective. The contracts become unwanted for instance, when employees disagree with such policy. They do not want to be excessively monitored. If an employee feels that the CRAs are too restrictive and that he/she is being treated unfairly, problems in morale, motivation, and productivity are likely to occur. In order to keep productivity and avoid a hostile work environment, the use of the agreement is not essential, as long as the rules of conduct in the workplace are specified. 2. How would you assess the ethical intensity of CRAs from the perspective of the employer? From the perspective of the employees in a consensual relationship? From the prospective of the employer, the CRAs are very necessary. Because on the job relationships are very likely to happen, it is good to have a policy in place to address issues that may possibly arise from on the job relationships. The agreement also protects the company from being sued by employees because of sexual harassment or favoritism, and creates a clearly understanding of properly professional workplace behavior expected, in order to maintain a good working environment for all. According to an article written in the May 2010 issue of Ceridian Connection â€Å"Any work environment presents the opportunity for individuals with similar interest to develop a relationship that is more than friendly.† The article goes on to say that according to a 2009 survey conducted by CareerBuilder.com, 40 percent of respond ents indicated that they have dated coworkers; and 18 percent said they have been involved in two or more workplace romances. Because is inevitable the romance in the workplace, many HR professionals try to balance interests for both parties involved: â€Å"Most employers realize that it’s unwise to try and ban all office romances. However, they are very interested in preventing these relationships from having a negative impact on the workplace† (Jones, May 2011). From the prospective of the employee, signing an agreement based on their personal relationship with a co-worker may be intrusive and often times, they prefer to keep the relationship private. Sometimes when employees sign the CRA they have the impression of their superiors and co-workers keeping an extra eyes on them to insure that they are not breaking the policy. That in the end could distract the employee from performing the job to their best ability and reflect on his/her overall performance. 3. What specific ethical principles might be used to justify the use of CRAs? Explain. The principles used to justify the use of CRA would be Organization Interest Principle and the Professional Standards Principle. The Organization Interested Principle is based on â€Å"you act on basis of what is good for the organization† (Hellriegel & Slocum 2011). This principle is used on this situation where the employer foresee a possible issue and impose a policy (CRA) to prevent that issue from affecting the company. This can save time, money, and problems in the long run. The ethical dilemma for CRAs revolves around the ethical principle of Professional Standards Principle, where the employer is balancing the rights of the individual and the needs and rights of the other employees. Most employers want to ensure a reasonable degree of employee privacy; however, there is wide consensus that employers must protect against the actions of employees who send harassing e-mails, disclose personal information, or spend too much time surfing the Internet for personal use. Therefore, the CRA in this case, is used to discuss properly professional workplace behavior, to remind employees that they do not have a legal right of privacy according to the no-harassment policy, and also reduce the risk of harassment litigation. 4. What ethical principles might be used by employees in consensual relationships to oppose signing such an agreement? Explain. The â€Å"Hedonist Principle† and the â€Å"Golden Rule Principle† could be used as a counter argument by the employees that are against the CRAs, because it would foster feelings of injustice for the employees in consensual relationships. The Hedonist Principle is based on â€Å" You do whatever is in your own self-interest† (Hellriegel & Slocum 2011). The employees involved in this situation can complain that the employee is only implanting the agreement because of fear of being sued, and not taking in consideration their personal lives. Furthermore, they can argue using the principle that the employer is acting only for his benefit and that they feel the CRAs are excessive, intrusive and unfair. Using the same perspective, the Golden Rule Principle, which consists in â€Å" You act on the basis of placing yourself in the position of someone affected by the decision and try to determine how that person would feel† (Hellriegel & Slocum 2011), can justify that the employer is misjudging their ethical work based on the feel that dating has nothing to do with the quality of an employee’s work and that job security and advancement should be based on the work itself. According to Randy Sutton on his publication Regulating Workplace Romances, â€Å"Any â€Å"no dating† policy must also consider whether the policy will disadvantage certain employees†, so the employees involved have no negative impact on their career. 5. Do you personally favor or oppose the use CRAs in the workplace? Explain. In my opinion, the use of Consensual Relationship Agreements in the workplace is very necessary and effective. As stated in the case, office romance is bound to take place if you put individuals together in a 40 plus hours per week. Nearly half of some employees reported that they didn’t know if their company had a policy on office romances. I think every employee should act in a professional manner, but unfortunately, a company cannot rely on the hope that they will. A Consensual Relationship Agreement is an agreement between both the employee and management that provides that the employee will not allow the relationship to interfere with or impact the work environment. This agreement also confirms and documents that the relationship is consensual and voluntary. All employees need to have a clear understanding of harassment. If the CRA is done correctly, the document will protect all parties involved of future accusations of sexual harassment, favoritism or unfairness. Mark Gomsak in his publication suggests that the company take the following procedures: implement company-wide policies for romance in the workplace, Forbid Romance Between Boss and Subordinate, apply the so called love contracts, and avoid favoritism (January 2011). From the prospective of the employees romantically involved, they may find a little intrusive in their personal lives, but on the other hand, if the relationship comes to an end, the agreement will secure that they have acted according to the policy and not letting their personal lives interfere in the workplace. Therefore, if the employees act ethically, even when they have a romance in the workplace, then the agreement would not be a problem, it would only prove that the employee is capable of being honest and ethical despite their outside lives, and that work comes in first. The companies would be secure with the document, and the romance would not have any impact to any parties involved. References: Gomsak, Mark J. (2011, January 11). Office romances: How employers can avoid the sting of cupid’s arrow. The Metro Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved from http://www.greaterlouisville.com Hellriegel, D., & Slocum, J. W., Jr. (2011). Organizational behavior: 2011 custom edition (13th ed.). Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning. Jones, L. (2011, May 23). The love contract debate – Employers may want to regulate your romance. Higher education and career blog. Retrieved from http://www.kelloggforum.org No longer a secret: Tools to cope with workplace romances. (2010, May).Ceridian Connection. Retrieved from HR Compliance database. Sutton, R. (2009). Regulating work place romances. Saalfeld Griggs Pc. Retrieved from http://www.sglaw.com

A persuasive postion paper on Fast food, burger king VS McDonalds Essay

A persuasive postion paper on Fast food, burger king VS McDonalds - Essay Example Others would counter that the discerning diner will detect real differences between fast food franchises when flavor, promotions and dining experience are considered. As one of these discerning consumers, I feel considerable differences can be found when comparing two fast food franchises such as Burger King and McDonalds. McDonalds is truly a ground –breaking enterprise. Global in scope and backed by decades of success, this fast food giant has set the standard for all others for many years. This fact is apparent in McDonald’s popularity and profits (Associated Press). But like an old shoe that’s been worn too much, McDonald’s has a sole that is wearing thin. The greatest problem is flavor of the food. True, it has been consistent for many decades, but that’s the problem. While other eateries have been innovative in positive ways, McDonalds seems to be stuck in a flavor rut. They are constantly introducing new items, like burritos and iced coffee, but they just seem to taste like everything else they already sell. Perhaps this can be attributed to the predictability of the promotions McDonalds tend to run. Cheap plastic gizmos of the latest blockbuster movie for the kids and sweepstakes games like monopoly are old and tired. They just add to a dated feeling present on the menu and in the store. McDonalds seems to have kept none of the nostalgia that has made it a traditional favorite while at the same time not really moving forward with anything truly innovative for years. Burger King, on the other hand, has made great strides in producing outstanding flavor results on its menu. The best innovation isn’t really an innovation at all. They simply offer fresh tomatoes, lettuce and onions on all of their burgers as a standard feature. They haven’t started making new products. Instead, they focus on doing a better job on giving their existing products the best flavor possible. Burger King also offers fewer promotional items and the

Effects Of Media On The UAE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Effects Of Media On The UAE - Essay Example And now in this era of increasing media penetration how children are brought up is a lot different; their childhoods are spend playing with toy guns (no wonder this is where all the violence stems in) and as they grow up they become cruel young men who believe life is nothing but a war zone which can be conquered with their "toy guns" (Wellisch 2000). Television is that source of the media which affects our society most strongly. When I say strongly, I mean it because a research by Emercon Statistics, 2000, show that on average a person who subscribes to cable in Dubai watches television more then 6 hours a day! Everyone knows of the success story of Dubai; it used to be a desert not until long ago, till the Sheikhs invested some money in developing this city and what you see now is one of the mega cities of the world! Foreign media played an important change in this development of Dubai from a desert to a city, then a mega city and now eventually a media and fashion hub! The effects foreign media has on the UAE are countless. It has changed peoples' life style, how to perceive things, what they study and how they study and even more their aspect towards life! Bryant, J., & Thompson, S. (2002). Fundamentals of media effects gives this situation: An Arab wife, previously she used to sit in the home and settle all the household chores so that when her family came home in the afternoon, they could all spend quality time. As time passed, American television channels opened in UAE and that made the Arab women know about the American culture (where husband and wife both go to work). And now If you see an Arab wife in this era, they're don't perceive life as to staying at home and waiting for their family to comeback while they settle their chores, they instead and go out and work! Media of course has changed lifestyles. (Bryant & Zillmann 1994) The youth I believe has been affected significantly of the lot. It is generally believed that media exposure brings more aggression into, viewers especially in youth if the movie is a violent one. To prove my point I believe there wouldn't be a better example then the classical "Bobo Doll Experiment" from Strasburger, V. C. (1995). Adolescents and the media: Medical and psychological impact. This experiment was done on nursery going children. They were put into a play room where they observed a television where an adult was hitting and kicking and inflatable doll and making sounds as if he was really fighting. The movie was then stopped and the children were observed for the next ten to twenty minutes. On the other hand another group of children were put to play with a similar doll, but they weren't made to see the adult hitting the doll video. The results were significant and as expected! The group who witnessed the video was performed similar aggressive acts on the doll while the o ther lot did not. The above experiment proves that the youth tend to take what they get from the media. According to Ravitch, D., & Viteritti, J. P. (2003). Kid stuff: Marketing sex and violence to America's children, most human rights group have called in for a total ban on movies for youth, especially those that depict sexual and violent scenes. Considering the negative

Heritage Education and Interpretation Dissertation

Heritage Education and Interpretation - Dissertation Example Assessment Details Remember all parts of the Assessment are compulsory. Suggested Timescale Before Placement. †¢ Complete Task 1 – Skills Audit. During First Week. (w/c 1st May 2006) †¢ Contact Niesha Nicholson to confirm your placement details. †¢ Complete 5 Daily Journal Sheets, one for each day. †¢ Complete CHNTO skills list. During Second Week. (w/c 8th May 2006) †¢ Complete 5 Daily Journal Sheets, one for each day. †¢ Complete 1 Learning Log Sheet. †¢ Complete CHNTO skills list. During Third Week. (w/c 15th May 2006) †¢ Complete 5 Daily Journal Sheets, one for each day. †¢ Complete CHNTO skills list. During Fourth Week. (w/c 22rd May 2006) †¢ Complete 5 Daily Journal Sheets, one for each day. †¢ Complete 1 Learning Log Sheet. †¢ Complete CHNTO skills list. During Fifth Week. (w/c 29th May 2006) †¢ Placement Co-ordinator to make contact. †¢ Complete 5 Daily Journal Sheets, one for each day. †¢ Complete CHNTO skills list. During Sixth Week. (w/c 5th June 2006) †¢ Complete 5 Daily Journal Sheets, one for each day. †¢ Complete 1 Learning Log Sheet. †¢ Complete CHNTO skills list. During Seventh Week (w/c 12th June 2006) †¢ Complete 5 Daily Journal Sheets, one for each day. †¢ Complete CHNTO skills list. During Eighth Week. (w/c 19th June 2006) †¢ Complete 5 Daily Journal Sheets, one for each day. †¢ Complete 1 Learning Log Sheet. †¢ Complete CHNTO skills list. Assignment 1 Task 1 – Personal Skills Audit ... You can then look for development opportunities during your work experience. Please answer all the questions by ticking one of the boxes. Do not spend too long thinking about the answers, if you do not know if the question applies to you then tick 'don't know'. The audit should take no more than 15 minutes. You are examining your skills as they are now, not trying to tick every Yes box. There are no right or wrong answers. Remember - you are postgraduates, some of these skills will already be familiar to you! Personal Skills Audit Yes No Don't Know 1. As part of your course are you required to write a number of different written documents, essays, reports, etc. X 2. Do you make a point of listening attentively and seeking to understand what other people say X 3. Have you recently given a presentation to more than five people X 4. Have you recently worked with others, as part of a team, towards a goal or to complete a task X 5. Do you consistently meet and/or exceed targets (i.e. deadlines) X 6. Do you enjoy the challenge of solving problems X 7. Do you regularly analyse your performance and try to learn from it X 8. Do you identify ways of improving you own performance X 9. Are you familiar with the functions of a calculator and confident in applying them X 10. Are you able to use the different software packages available on the University PC clusters (Word, Excel, etc.) X 11. When writing an essay do you always prepare and work to an outline plan or structure X 12. Can you quickly establish a rapport with someone you've never met before X 13. Do you use a range of visual aids when giving a presentation, e.g. OHP's, flip chart, PowerPoint X 14. Have you made a substantial contribution to the planning and

Operatios Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Operatios Management - Essay Example The author has presented his idea and has used different sources and reliable sources for this journal article in order to improve the information presented. Forecasting techniques can be improved and this can allow the businesses to improve their overall supply chain planning and control. The findings of this article are very much the same as of the other authors as they have also emphasized on collaborating with other players in the supply chain. Ramanathan is working in the department of Business Systems in the Bedfordshire Business School and has sufficient knowledge of business and he has used different books and research papers thus, the knowledge and information presented in the article is reliable. Article 2: Moyano-Fuentes, J., Sacristan-Diaz, M., & Martinez-Jurado, P. J. (2012). Cooperation in the supply chain and lean production adoption: Evidence from the Spanish automotive industry.  International Journal of Operations & Production Management,  vol. 32, no. 9, pp. 10 75-1096. http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=17048068 Journal: International Journal of Operations & Production Management Lean production is important in managing the overall supply chain in business. ... The article discusses about the evidences from the Spanish automotive industry. This article has been written by three different authors, Jose? Moyano-Fuentes, Macarena Sacrista?n-Daz and Pedro Jose? Martnez-Jurado. All these three authors work in different universities in Spain and therefore these authors have the knowledge regarding supply chain, business and operations management. Moreover, with different research studies cited by these authors, the information presented is highly reliable. Article 3: Wee, H., and Wu, S. (2009). Lean supply chain and its effect on product cost and quality: a case study on Ford Motor Company. Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, Vol. 14, no. 5, pp. 335 – 341 http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=1810704&show=abstract Journal: Supply Chain Management: an International Journal The other article that has been used for this research study is on the company, Ford Motors. The article analyzes the lean supply chain of t he company and how this system has helped the company in improving the cost and quality of Ford Motors. The findings of the article have revealed that by implementing lean supply chain, the company has been able to reduce its cost, enhance its quality and reduce its lean time. The article also presents recommendation for the company. Wee is one of the authors of the article and he is working at Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering in a university in Taiwan, Chung Yuan Christian University. The other author is Simon Wu and he is not only working in the Chung Yuan Christian University but he is also involved with the ford motors in the Ford Production System Manufacturing Division. Thus this

The role of innocence in the exoneration process Essay

The role of innocence in the exoneration process - Essay Example However, this is not always to be, and there is always the likelihood that an innocent person is convicted2. This paper attempts to explain ways that people wrongly convicted get proof of their innocence. The causes of wrong convictions are wide ranging and comprise all features of the pre-trial and trial stages of the criminal justice process ranging from false allegations, incompetent police investigation, police misconduct, erroneous forensic science and evidence, and poor representation from criminal defense lawyers. Once an alleged victim of an unjust conviction has lost their appeal, there is a slight opportunity that the courts will be in a position to stop the conviction3. In these cases, victims of wrongful convictions are likely to have exhausted the legal aid unit and it will be up to them, their friends, supporters, families, pro-bono lawyers and voluntary groups to uncover the evidence of innocence and present it to the relevant authorities such as the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC). 2Investigating a suspected wrongful conviction is a long and challenging process. Cases of high profile injustices like the Cardiff Newsagent Three and Sean Hodgson show that it can take several years of investigation before the evidence that leads to the quashing of the conviction is found4. Many projects that attempt to exonerate innocent people out of prison have come up. One such project is the Innocence Network project founded in 1992 whose principle objective is to get as many innocent people out of prison as possible and turn the experience of these people into a learning experience that could help repair the systematic failings in the criminal justic e system5. The project exonerates people by use of post-conviction DNA where the DNA from the crime scene is tested against the DNA of the accused. Often, people wrongly convicted of serious crimes like homicide or abuse has