The Subjugation Of The African American Race - 879 Words

Priscilla Takyi Composition 6’ Simon Bolivar The Subjugation of the African American Race: Living in Poverty/ Health Effects In America, it is to no surprise that a large percentage of the African American race has and still is struggling financially. Many African-Americans are subjected to live in poorer areas where sanitation isn’t as heavily emphasized compared to more prosperous neighborhoods. Due to this blatant divide there has been many detrimental effects this has to minority communities. In specifically predominantly black communities the effects are seen heavily. Over the years the most frequent illnesses affecting African-American’s are high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, stroke, kidney failure and cancer. Racism and classism are contributing factors to this environmental crisis’ because of the where toxic waste is disposed, where pollutive industries are located, and the financial challenges African-Americans face. Where toxic waste is disposed of is one of the reasons why racism and classism leads to environmental factors. As referred in an article called †Emelle, Alabama:Show MoreRelatedColonization Of The United States1097 Words   |  5 Pagesconnected the US to other nations and allowed Settler Colonialism and Chattel Slavery to affect more groups of people. The unequal material conditions of land and labor that resulted from these processes benefited the US to the detriment of other races. Christopher Columbus came to the Americas with the ideas of Whiteness and the Doctrine of Discovery. With Early European settlers began the long and ongoing process of settler colonialism. They forced or coerced the Indians out of their lands andRead MoreRacism - A History : The Color Of Money1063 Words   |  5 Pagessix short episodes explore and chronicle centuries of European attitudes and practices regarding race and the transatlantic slave trade of Africans. It underscores how economics served as the driving force behind slavery. The documentary highlights that although slavery existed for several centuries prior to the slave trade, the concept of racism is rooted in the enslavement and exploitation of Africans for labor and capital gain. The documentary describes how the British’s development of the transatlanticRead MoreThe Slavery Of The Black Race1508 Words   |  7 PagesTocqueville anticipated the future these three races. For the Native Americans, Tocqueville anticipated that they were bound to vanish. With a specific end goal to survive, they should be acculturated or begun a fight were one of the two races could vanish. What s more, Tocqueville anticipated that they will be secluded by the whites. For the Negros, he anticipated the racial blend will extend Negros race everywhere throughout the country. Additionally, they will be more acknowledgeable of theirRead MoreThe Source Of Racism And White Supremacy Essay1718 Words   |  7 Pagesgives color to eyes, skin and hair. Legendary scholar, author and psychiatrist, Dr. Frances Cress Welsing argues that African albinos, rejected by their parents, alienated from their communities and sensitive to the African sun, were forced to migrate northward to Europe. This as a consequence resulted in inbreeding amongst the exiles led to the birth of the White or European race. Racism and white supremacy functions both on a microcosmic and macrocosmic level. Similar to a massive bureaucracy, whiteR ead MoreEvolution Of Slavery Throughout Colonial America1336 Words   |  6 Pagesstories from our past. Slavery began when African Slaves initially arrived in the North American settlement of Jamestown in 1619. These slaves helped with the creation of profoundly lucrative products such as tobacco. In this manner, it was absolutely a rural undertaking that would later provoke the presence of one of the chronicled treacheries done particularly to the African migrants. The issue took course during the sixteenth and eighteenth century American colonies. Although it was not their uniqueRead MoreDiscrimination, Anti Feminism, And Gender Inequality1455 Words   |  6 PagesMovements. Gender and race has been the target of numerous discriminatory laws that have persisted throughout time. Two major films have portrayed the endurance of women on issues of gender discrimination and discriminatory laws. The Color Purple, based on the same novel by Alice Walker, discusses the suffering of A frican American women through anti-feminism. On the other hand, The Help, based also on the novel by Kathryn Stockett, deliberates the struggle of African American women during the JimRead MoreA Reading Of Micheaux s Within Our Gates1418 Words   |  6 Pages A Reading of Micheaux’s Within Our Gates (1920) In 1920, pioneering African American film director Oscar Micheaux released his second picture, Within Out Gates. The film is a silent drama that revolves around a young professional woman, Sylvia Landry, her quest to fund an opening rural school for black children, and her past experience of violent racism in the South. It is a work largely concerned with African Americans as being at a sort of impasse in history and, furthermore, with the positingRead MoreSlavery And The Civil War1527 Words   |  7 Pagesrailroad lines, and guaranteed 630,000 lives? Numerous elements drove the country into disarray in 1861. Key political causes incorporate the moderate breakdown of the Whig Party, the establishing of the Republican Party, and, most vital, the 1860 race of Abraham Lincoln as president. Religious restriction to servitude expanded, upheld by priests and abolitionists, for example, William Lloyd Garrison. Topographical clash over the spread of servitude into western domains and sta tes—zones with neitherRead MoreAnalysis Of Toni Morrison s Beloved Essay1634 Words   |  7 PagesBeloved is one of the best and most well-known books of writing in the African-American society published in 1987. The novel, for the most part, discusses the black community that is unwilling to incite their past and in this way, irritated by its incarnation (Abdullah 25). Toni Morrison does not dissent suppression. Rather, she is pained by its effect on the souls of the black individuals. Nevertheless, the novel approves Toni Morrison s ability in creating the free awareness of various individualsRead MoreThe Contrasting Views of Pro-Slavery vs. Abolitionist Essay1244 Words   |  5 Pages Throughout the history of mankind, slavery has existed in one form or another. Since the times of ancient civilizations to modern era subjugations, there have forces who feel strongly of its necessity and purpose, while others have devoted themselves to seeing the ideas and acts of slavery abolished. America is not an exception to the concept of slavery and during the nation’s early history, parties from both sides have been made famous for their beliefs in the continuation or the denouncement

The Influence and Meaning of Gothic Literature - 1385 Words

The Influence and Meaning of Gothic Literature Gothic is termed in the dictionary with crude and barbaric, this definition coincides with gothic literature. Gothic literature was said to be born in 1764 when Horace Walpole published The Castle of Otranto, which is considered to be the first gothic novel ever written. Gothic literature explores the aggression between what we fear and what we lust. The setting of these gothic stories were usually in some kind of castle or old building that showed human decay and created an atmosphere of mystery and suspense. The words chosen in these novels and short stories were very descriptive they tended to blend the idea of the exotic and the familiar (The Balkans, 75).Supernatural and†¦show more content†¦In Dracula, Jonathan Harker notes with a similar attitude I read that every known superstition in the world is gathered into the horseshoe of the Carpathians, as if it were the centre of some sort of imaginative whirlpool. These quotations both bring about the fear of the unknown an d the idea of the fear of the other, creating an ideal setting for a gothic novel. Gerards article also provided Stoker with some of the folklore surrounding Dracula and his castle: St. Georges Day, the eve of which is still frequently kept by occult meetings taking place at night in lonely caverns or within ruined walls; hidden treasures and the light they give forth, described as a bluish flame; and the wolf that continues to haunt the Transylvanian forests (Transylvanian superstitions). Gerard was not the only influence on Stoker choosing Transylvania as his setting some other influences were a collection of tales by Alexandre Dumas (pà ¨re), Les Mille et un Fantomes (1849), includes a story about a vampire who haunts the Carpathians; in The Mysterious Stranger (anonymous, 1860), a vampire Count terrorizes a family in this area. Best-known may be Jules Vernes romantic adventure, The Castle of the Carpathians (1892), in which the narrator cites the prevalence of beliefs in a host of supernatural creatures, including vampires that quench their thirst on human blood. Dracula depicts Transylvania as a backward region inhabited by wild animals and superstitious peasants, appropriateShow MoreRelatedPoetry Is Not Just The Vision Of The Writer1036 Words   |  5 Pages poetry can grip the heart—the mind can be an awfully dark place. Within gothic poetry the horror and fears of the poet lie just beyond the words of the poem itself. The words are emotional viscera given form. Poetry is aesthetic and inspiring and its brevity extends it to forms beyond itself. The works of romantic poets have been recycled and reimagined as a result of our continued love affair with the ideas of the gothic and supernatural. The works of various authors, directors, artists, and musiciansRead MoreAnalysis Of The House Of Leaves 1227 Words   |  5 Pagesis not easily detectable. This is what triggers Gothic plots to have a positive development as they mainly focus on revealin g the why and what of the occurrence of an event. It is evident that wider experiences, techniques, psychological knowledge as well as craftsmanship have tremendously advanced such that the earlier Gothic work seems artificial and naà ¯ve (Lovecraft, 2013). As Crawford (2014) reveals, the theme of madness runs through most Gothic narratives and is usually enunciated by the charactersRead MoreEdgar Allan Poe Biography. By. Alyssa Marshall.1260 Words   |  6 PagesMarch 6, 2017 Abstract Edgar Allan Poe was a writer in the â€Å"Gothic Era†, many of his stories genres are horror like â€Å" The Masque of The Red Death†, mystery such as â€Å" The Fall of The House of Usher†, lost love as in â€Å" The Raven†, and obsession such as â€Å" The Pit and The Pendulum†. Edgar’s poems and short stories are influenced by tragedies that happened through out his lifetime. Poe influenced not only American literature but literature around the world. He also influenced writers around the worldRead MoreArgumentative Essay On The Fall Of The House Of Usher1169 Words   |  5 PagesKing would be nothing if it weren’t for the tortured, Edgar Allan Poe(1809-1849). Poe’s works seem to project the monsters and ghosts which lived inside him, through his awful, short life. Poe writings are woven tightly with language holding hidden meanings and psychological anguish. Argumentary the most famous work of Poe is The Fall of the House o f Usher(The House of Usher), as the short story incorporates every trope of modern horror, important among these is the setting. A nameless narrator receivesRead MoreAnalysis Of Edgar Allen Poe s The Cask 1563 Words   |  7 PagesBlaine Bowman Mrs. McKay American Literature 10 November, 2015 Gothic Elements in Poe’s Captivating Stories Edgar Allen Poe can be described as a master of gothic literature. Poe enjoyed incorporating the gothic theme into his stories (â€Å"The Cask† 52). The free dictionary website describes gothicism as a style in fictional literature characterized by gloomy settings, violent or grotesque action, and a mood of decay, degeneration, and decadence. Edgar Allen Poe experienced many failures and disappointmentsRead MoreEssay on Gothic Theme in Poes The Fall of the House of Usher831 Words   |  4 Pagesshort-story form of writing, chiefly tales of the mysterious and macabre, has established his short stories as leading proponents of â€Å"Gothic† literature. Although the term â€Å"Gothic† originally referred only to literature set in the Gothic (or medieval) period, its meaning has since been extended to include a particular style of writing. In order for literature to be â€Å"Gothic,† it must fulfill some specific requirements. Firstly, it must set a tone that is dark, somber, and foreboding. Next, throughout theRead MoreThe Judges Hous e by Bram Stoker803 Words   |  3 PagesLiterary genre refers to specific types of literature by classifying and analyzing pieces of fictional work. Also to be known as a theoretical construct, including a known selection of elements and functions of all stages of literary work. Examples of genre are love stories, science fiction, comedy, horror, drama, thriller, fantasy, adventure, action, action, crime, historical, political, and romance are just some types of genres. Traits of gothic include supernatural elements, horror and terrorRead MoreThe Romantic Age Of American Literature1725 Words   |  7 PagesRomantic Age took place in the middle of the 1800s. During this period the middle class began to rise in society. Many reforms started to take place which included slavery and woman s rights. This age brought about American literature which was free from European influence and ties. The writers during the Romantic Age wrote mainly about the person, they included clear and conci se descriptions of people and nature. Many writers like Poe wrote about supernatural events like the devil, evil, and horrorRead MoreResurrected Love: an Analysis of Edgar Allen Poes Ligeia Essay1442 Words   |  6 PagesEdgar Allen Poes short story Ligeia, in a style much like that of The Fall of the House of Usher, has all the makings of a classic, gothic horror tale. It is a story of a love so strong that it overcomes the realms of death. The unnamed narrator is so in love with the Lady Ligeia, as she is with him, that her untimely death soon after their marriage was unable to separate them. Ligeia rejoins the narrator in life through the body of another, Lady Rowena Trevanion of Tremaine. Rowena is the secondRead MorePoe Hawthorne949 Words   |  4 Pagesin language have forever changed what we appreciate in writing. Poe and Hawthorne used various techniques in their writing including symbolism, allegory, suspense, characterization and great use of setting to make it ve ry real to the reader. Both gothic writers set a different mood for the reader in their writings. Symbolism is present in stories to provide depth and insight into the plot. It’s the surroundings that make a character look a certain way to the reader. Both Poe and Hawthorne make

PAul Cronan and the New England Telephone Company Essay Example For Students

PAul Cronan and the New England Telephone Company Essay CASE: Paul Cronan and New England Telephone Company (A)I.LEGAL CASE ANALYSISA.FactsPaul Cronan was hired by New England Telephone (NET) in 1973 as a file clerk. In 1983 he was promoted to service technician. He worked in Needham, Massachusetts for 18 months before transferring to South Boston, Massachusetts. In 1985, Cronan suffered from medical symptoms due to AIDS-related complex (ARC), and missed work sporadically for 6 months. In June, 1985 Cronan requested a third leave of absence from work for a doctors appointment. Cronans supervisor, Charles OBrian, demanded to know the nature of the illness, and assured him that the information would be kept confidential. Cronan informed OBrian that the illness was AIDS-related, whereupon he received the work excuse to see his doctor. OBrien informed his supervisor, Paul Cloran, of Cronans AIDS status, who in turn informed his own supervisor. The following day, in accordance with company policy, OBrien mandated that Cronan see the company ph ysician. After a 10 minute physical examination Cronan was sent home. Two days later, a coworker informed Cronan that news of his AIDS-related illness had spread around his co-workers, and that threats of physical violence were made against Cronan should he return. Fearing for his safety and health, Cronan requested medical leave, which was granted. He began receiving company-paid medical benefits, first departmental sickness benefits, then illness benefits. Illness benefits were extended several times to 12 months total. In August 1985, Cronan wished to return to work. His new supervisor, Richard Griffin, stated that in accordance with company policy a medical certificate from his physician certifying his ability to return to work was required. Cronan obtained the certificate but also requested a transfer to another location. He did not receive a response to his request and did not return to the South Boston facility, fearing that he would be physically harmed. In September 1985, Cronan was hospitalized with AIDS. During this hospitalization he received a letter of condolence from Griffin offering a return to his previous position with no mention of a transfer or new assignment. In December 1985, Cronan filed a lawsuit assisted by the Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts for $1.45 million in state court, alleging invasion of privacy and discrimination of a handicap. In August of 1985, NET began to modify policies that reflected AIDS in the workplace. These policies stated that AIDS was to be treated as any other illness and an employee diagnosed with AIDS may return to work if he is not disabled. The policies were unanimously approved by management and added to the corporate policy handbooks. No formal dissemination of these policies to the rank and file workers was made. In June 1986, Cronan was informed that his illness benefits had ceased and he was now only entitled to long term disability payments, having effectively been terminated from NET. Due to financial hardships, Cronan and NET came to a settlement agreement in October 1986. Cronan was reinstated in his job and transferred to the Needham, Massachusetts facility. The financial details remained sealed. Immediately upon his return to work at Needham, Cronan was subjected to harassment and hostility from the coworkers. The workers filed a union grievance stating that the reinstatement of Cronan violated their safety and health agreement in their labor contract. The next day the coworkers refused to be in contact with Cronan and 29 workers staged a walk-out. B.Critical Legal Issues1.Privacy Cronans privacy may have been violated when the news of his medical condition was revealed to the line management and subsequently to the coworkers. 2.Discrimination Cronans diagnosis of AIDS could conceivably fall under the category of a disability, therefore the treatment he received from NET and the coworkers could be construed as frankly discriminatory. 3.Sexual Harassment Cronans treatment at the hands of his coworkers might broadly be construed as sexual harassment due to his homosexuality. 4.Disability AIDS might be considered a disability so that employer discrimination based on such a disability may be a violation of the law. C.Legal Rules1.Privacy. Massachusetts General Law (G.L. c. 214, 1B) Right of Privacy, states A person shall have a right against unreasonable, substantial or serious interference with his privacy. 2.Discrimination. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits job discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, except when there are bona fide occupational qualifications reasonably necessary to normal business operations. Under the disparate treatment doctrine, the employee must provide evidence that the employer intentionally discriminated against the employee. Under the disparate impact doctrine, the employee must prove that the employers policies had a discriminatory effect on a group protected under title VII. 3.Sexual Harassment. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination based on sex. A hostile work environment is prohibited even if no economic loss occurs and is considered discrimination under Title VII ((477 U.S. 57 (1986) Meritor Savings Bank v. Vinson.))4.DisabilityThe Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which prohibits discrimination in employment based on medical disability was not ratified until 1990. No relief for discrimination in employment based on a disease such as AIDS was available in 1986. Prejudice Thinking EssayNET developed a policy regarding AIDS in the workplace that was prepared as early as September 1985. It was disseminated by word of mouth to high level managers, but not to the rank and file employees. Knowledge may have gone a long way to mitigate the actions of the coworkers. It is a fair assumption that had the information been available to the workers sooner, many of the subsequent problems may have been lessened or obviated. Ethically the information should have been widely disseminated. D.Ethical AlternativesRegarding the privacy issues, there are few arguments against the alternative of maintaining Cronans medical history private. Under utilitarianism analysis, the costs of maintaining confidence are few, whereas the liabilities of not keeping the information private are many, even discounting the legal liabilities involved. There is no benefit to the majority in knowing Cronans particular medical history the only argument for this course of action would be if a serious communicable disease existed that immediately placed the health of all the workers at risk were the information kept private. Indeed, utilitarianism theory supports the utility of keeping medical information private as the rest of the workers would retain their job satisfaction, therefore the ethical action is to keep the medical information private. . Deontological theory focuses on the duties, obligations and principles of the entity involved. Clearly the duty here is to keep the medical informat ion private, which would be the ethical course of action. Regarding Cronans continued employment and job situation, one might argue that alternatives exist. Under utilitarianism, the greatest utility is that which benefits the majority over the few. If the employment satisfaction of the workers as a whole is considered to be the greatest utility, then NET would behave ethically by not allowing Cronan to return to work but instead terminating him and resigning him to the benefits he is entitled to under the employment agreement, which are long-term disability benefits only. These actions would ensure the maximum job satisfaction of the majority of the workers and would constitute ethical behavior on the part of NET. Under deontological theory however, the principles and duties involved require that ethical behavior protects Cronan despite the objections of the majority or the business consequences thereof. The duty to Cronan is to accommodate his illness, however controversial, in a sensitive and humane manner, so that minimal injury is sustained. E.Judgment and RationaleAIDS in 1985 was a relatively obscure disease of which the medical facts were relatively unknown to those outside the medical establishment. The overall sentiment was that it was a lethal and highly contagious disease found only in male homosexuals and drug addicts. It almost becomes difficult to find fault with a company forced to deal with this controversial issue as the test case. Yet legal issues aside, the ethical behavior in this situation remains clear. Privacy of medical information is almost sacrosanct, so much so that medical care providers cannot be compelled to provide medical information of a patient even to law enforcement officials without the consent of the individual. Although there may be no similar legal corollary binding the officers of a business, clearly the ethical decision in any situation similar to Paul Cronans is to keep the information private. There is no obviating need to know principle in place that compels the informing of the workers, such as the discovery of a highly communicable illness that puts the workers at risk or requires medical evaluation. Even if the dissemination of this private information were inadvertent, processes should be in place to prevent such occurrences. The potential for the development of bigotry or a hostile work environment requires an ethical response. The foreknowledge of Cronans anticipated return to work at NET in any capacity mandates that he be allowed to work in a harmoniou s and safe environment. As ignorance was the main impetus for the majority of the behaviors noted by Cronan, education would be the solution. The ethical course of action would be initially providing widespread company dissemination of the policy regarding AIDS in the workplace, followed by intense education of the workers about AIDS. An overall policy of intolerance of any harassment should be published and enforced. Finally, the ethical response to Cronan individually in the situation as listed in the narrative would be to find him a position constrained only by the limits of his medical condition where he would find job satisfaction in a workplace environment free of hostility and sexual harassment, with relocation provided if necessary.

Janet Allen free essay sample

Whats a single mom to do? Janet Allen struggled to raise her child, Amanda, as a single mother in Arizona. She performed well in part-time positions in a couple of the Mojavi County departments when, from 1996 to 2002, she was able to accumulate a substantial amount of sick leaves to use in case she or her daughter ever become ill. During that time, she was also able to complete her Associate of Arts degree as an accountant technician, which allowed her to persue, in 2002, a higher paying, full-time job in the another of the countys departments, a much needed career move considering the increasing amount of bills to pay and lack of child support assistance from the ex-husband. The new job, however, was more strict and did not offer a flexibile schedule. Due to an asthmatic condition Amanda developed, Janet ended up depleting all her accrued sick leave by the end of 2003, her supervisor was unsympathetic of the situation, having expressed disapproval regarding to it. We will write a custom essay sample on Janet Allen or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Amandas condition kept on getting worse deteriorating Janets attendence as a result. In the mean time, a Sick Leave Management Policy was promulgated, established the premises in which employees could make use of sick leaves. At that point, Janet had already received her first Letter of Warning for overutilizating the benefit in January 2004, and by March of that year, she had received two Letters of Repriment for the same reason. Nevertheless, not having any extended family around, she had no choices other than taking care of her daughter herself. In hopes of being able to count with a more sympathetic supervisor, Janet got voluntarily transferred to another division of that Department in May 2004. As Amandas condition, became really severe and Janets overutilization of sick leave combined with her failure on following the requirements established by the Divisions Handbook (which required proper procedures when taking sick leave) had leaded to both verbal and written warnings, predisciplinary hearing concerning her excessive absenteeism and a five-day suspension without pay as a disciplinary act, which was later, at a grievance hearing, reduced to two and a half days. Still, Janet was not able to improve her attendance. In this context, an initial predetermination hearing was scheduled for November 4th, 2004. Her pernonnel profile indicated that from February to November of that year, Janet had used 213 percent of her accrued sick leave. By the occasion of the hearing it was suggested that Janets pattern of sick leave usage could be considered abusive. She was not accompanied by a union representative for not knowing she was entitled to one. At the conclusion of the hearing she announced intention to take a leave on November 12th, and was informed by the county administrator that her termination was been considered, based on indications that she was not motivated to change her pattern behavior. In her defense, Janet stated that her daughter was frequent sick and childcare undependable. She expressed her opinion that the county should be more family friendly and understanding to the fact that she is a single mother raising a child with medical needs all by herself and that a flexible working schedule would be very appreciated on her side. To that, the administrator reinforced the fact that the treatment given to her was the same as to all the other employees and stated that, besides not being a productive employee herself, the divisions productivity had been affected by Janets absenteeism. Subsequently, the county terminated Janet, the Letter of Termination stated that the measure was the appropriate action to be taken as progressive discipline. Janet, disagreeing with those terms, which she considered too severe as a disciplinary action, decided to grieve the decision based on the premises that except for sick leave overutilization, her performance was satisfactory; the County Administrator had exceeded his policy-making authority, back in February, when taking away sick leave rights for the countys employees; she had suffered disparate treatment; and that she was denied due process rights by not being informed of her right to have a union representative present at the predetermination hearing. Does Janet Allens absenteeism present any mitigating circumstances that should be considered by management, or should she be treated the same as all other employees regarding attendance policies? Janet Allen is a single mother, who instead of sit around regreating her isfortune of being abandoned by her husband and living on welfare, made the hard choice of going back to school and working part-time while raising her daugher by herself, it is important to recognize that during six years before the girls health condition present itself she had been cautious in accumulating sick leaves, never using them unapropriately, which shows her good faith. There are definitely mitigating circumstances to Janets absenteeism rates, even though all the countys employees were subjected to the same restrictions and conditions regarding sick leave, it is undoubtly a major hardship for single mothers to comply with them and these unequalities must be aknowledged. I strongly believe Janets family situation (as well as any other employees facing similar issues) should be taken into consideration when it comes to attendence management. The fact that labor itself has a social role once it provides individuals with means to support their families should be taken into account on this matter, rather than the blindfull application of rules. In your assessment, does Janets use of sick leave represent overutilization or abuse of sick leave? What is the significance of both and what difference does it make? The circumstances Janet faces in her personal life caused her to overutilizate her sick leave benefits indeed. Use of 213 percent of her accrued sick leave definitely characterizes overutilization, however, this does not necessarily configures abuse as the county suggests at a point, neither justifies her termination. One thing would be taking advantage of the benefit in order dedicate time to leisure activities, that is an excusable reason for termination of employement and it was not the situation on the case under our analysis. Janet was not being able to attend to work due to illness related issues, even though she did not present a health condition herself, as a mother it is her responsability to take care of Amanda, specially when there was nobody else around that could help her in this task. A supervisor should not be using his discretion to compel his employees to neglect their sick children in order to be able to keep their jobs, the fact that her was uneasy on the conception of use of sick leave to care for family member demonstrates how unsupportive her workplace was regarding this matter. That may, even, have disencouraged her to seek for HRM in order to work together on different options to adress her necessities, which could have avoid the overutilization of sick leaves. Has management acted in a punitive manner with Janet? What other options, if any, might be applied by management? Management has definitely acted in a punitive manner with Janet Allen by not taking into consideration the particularities of her situation and also by making no efforts to improve work conditions for her. Instead of being cooperative and act on finding a solution that would avoid such a high rate of absenteeism, they chose to simply terminate her, disregarding the impact that one-income family would suffer. It is true that she failed to properly follow the departments policies regarding to proper requests, notices and approvals, but is it that hard to understand how overwhelmed a single mother of a child facing delicate medical condition can be? Is it so outrageous to expect that a workplace may offer a family-friendly culture? Prior the termination, Janet had suffered several disciplinative acts including unpaid suspention already, the assumption that a change of behavior should necessarily occur does not take into consideration the root of the problem the uncontrollable illness of her daughter. They could have agreed upon specific conditions for upcoming leaves such as establishing that they would be credited as FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act) leaves which are unpaid if they are covered by it, or just offer unpaid leaves instead if they are not covered by the FMLA. It is just unreasonable to assume that she just did not care about her job the only source of income her family could count on rather than to realize that as a mother, she is willing to make sacrifices to take care of her daugher which may include facing penalties for doing it so. Focusing on positive incentives rather than punitive measures would certainly reflect on the agencys productivity on the long run so why not start by being less technical regarding the application of rules and become more willing to deal with the peculiarities of each case? Initiatives allowing employees to accomodate their work requirements without having to sacrifice their parenting responsabilities, such as the option of a flexible schedule, suggested by Janet herself; implementation of parental leave policies; working from home options; subsidized childcare service; after-school programs there are many reasonable possibilities to be explored that would provide a supportive workplace environment leading to ore job related satisfaction, loyalty and consequently better performance from the employees: When there is a will, there is a way. The situation of single mothers in the workplace There is a greater social issue at play when it comes to this subject. We already analysed, in the classroom, many ways in which women face unequal employement opportunities, despite being increasingly relied upon to be the sole financial provider for their families, they are still paid inequitably for the work. Side by side with employment opportunity, guaranteed paid sick days are crucial to help single-mother headed households thrive, considering that there is no national standard for paid sick days, the usage of sick days to care for ill family members represents an even bigger issue, many times subjected purely to management discretion. The social impact of this reality is that families headed by single mothers represent the poorest sector of society. Even so, not much is done to improve their situation. Not being able to rely on dependable quality childcare, paid sick days, or equal pay, single mothers struggle to face the challenges of raising their children. It would probably help the situation if Congress would pass some legislation that are pending to be voted, such as the the Healthy Families Act, ensuring employees to receive at least seven paid sick days per year, and the Paycheck Fairness Act, to ensure that women receive equal pay for equal work would allow great changes. A country that emphasizes, so fiercely, the importance of family values should have a system of social protections more specific than sick leave that assures single parents, specially single mothers, means to deal with unexpected events and conditions that are beyond their control such as illness, granting them security to care for their children without jeopardizing their familys economic security. It is true that there are different sectors of society demonstrating concerns regarding the issue, a petition addressed to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, to support single parents, the Single Parent Employment Discrimination (SPEDA) is available on the internet as an attempt to draw some attention to the matter (http://www. gopetition. com/petition/33958. html). Also, initiatives such as the website momsrising. om, a resource center single mothers turn to for information, counseling and research under the premise that together we can build a nation where children, parents, and businesses thrive; and end discrimination against mothers are phenomenal tools, however, it is necessary more than just sympathetic organized social groups. Should not be a concern of a governmental agencies to successfully launch single mothers into economic self-sufficiency? They should be doing their share in providing flexible schedules for that group as much as possible since employment helps to alleviate the poverty rates, contributing to a better economy. Public agencies should, by all means, serve as a role model to the private sector by creating opportunities for single mothers to earn adequate wages and benefits and be able to provide quality care for their children while doing it so. Implementation of affirmative actions to reduce discrimination against single mothers at the workplace would benefit society as a whole. Human Resources Management (HRM) departments should attent to the fact that maintaining a single parent household is a difficult task and it should not be complicated further with discrimination at the workplace. Guided by this philosophy, the Montgomery County Commission for Women, in Maryland, elaborated an excellent document: Single Mothers and Poverty, which is an action agenda with the purpose to advance womens equal anf full participation in the benefits, responsabilities and opportunities of society. Initiatives as such, should be implemented in federal level and stimulated throughout all government levels. The public sector should be more proactive towards improving this situation by promoting integrated actions and estimulating the private sector to follow its lead. When it comes to stimulating self sustaintable single mother headed families, employement plays a very important role. Promoting family-friendly practices and implementating affirmative actions targeting this group should definitely be a concern of HRM in the public sector considering that its broad spectrum of benefits goes beyond the agencys productivity. Integrated measures to raise single mothers’ and their children’s living standards, estimulates their independence from govern support, which beneficiates the whole society.