← All questionsGS4 · 2019 · Case Studies — Private Sector ·Sexual Harassment Settlement Offer
QUESTION 9
GS4
20 marks

An apparel company with many women employees hires a successful marketing executive. Reports emerge of workplace sexual harassment; a woman employee files a formal complaint and then an FIR when management is indifferent. The company offers her a large sum to withdraw the complaint and state that the executive was not involved. Identify the ethical issues and discuss the options available to the woman employee.

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14 min
250 words
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What the examiner wants

Discuss: answer the exact PYQ as framed — “An apparel company with many women employees hires a successful marketing executive. Reports emerge of workplace sexual harassment; a woman employee files a formal complaint and then an FIR when management is indifferent. The company offers her a large sum to…” Treat each scoring limb separately instead of writing a general note on Sexual Harassment Settlement Offer.

DiscussExplain the different sides of the issue, use evidence, and finish with a balanced view.

Demand-wise check

  1. 1Map the stakeholders, facts, competing obligations and the ethical/public-interest conflict embedded in the case≈65 words
  2. 2Answer each explicit sub-question in the case and compare feasible options using legality, consequences, rights, fairness and integrity≈65 words
  3. 3Choose and justify an implementable course of action, including safeguards, accountability and follow-through≈65 words

Open in about 30 words and close in about 30.

Answer plan

Key facts and stakeholdersEthical/legal issuesRealistic options with consequencesReasoned choiceImplementation safeguards and accountability

Where marks usually go

  • Writing generally about Sexual Harassment Settlement Offer without directly resolving: “An apparel company with many women employees hires a successful marketing executive.”
  • Under-developing the second scoring limb: “Reports emerge of workplace sexual harassment”

Value addition

  • Stakeholder map + options-versus-values decision matrix
    → Draw it in the body, next to the point it supports.

Official source anchors

These are authoritative sources selected for this exact PYQ. Where a card is an official-domain anchor rather than a fact-level citation, verify the precise provision, definition or data point on the linked source before using it.