Syllabus: Law and Ethics

Transcription

1 Course Overview: What can you do if you ve been tricked into a poor contract? Where would you take your lawsuit? How high up the court structure can your case go? Learn answers to these and other legal questions pertaining to both personal and business law applications. This course is designed to familiarize you with the basic legal principles relevant to your roles as citizens, consumers and employees. Content includes the origin of law, criminal and civil law, the court system, business ethics, basic elements of contracts, intellectual property, consumer laws, employer-employee relations, and environmental law. Emphasis throughout the course will be given to application of basic principles of law to everyday situations through case studies, possible field trips, and class discussion. You will also undertake a mock trial experience, which provides firsthand experience in a courtroom atmosphere. Department: Business, Marketing and Information Technology Course Number: BUS 3013 Credits Earned/Length of Course:.5 Credit/Semester Course Prerequisites: None Required Materials: Pen/pencil Notebook Folder/binder Department/Course Website (if applicable): Instructor: Mrs. Wheeler Office Hours: Lunch, 2:45 4:00 Instructor Contact Info: Phone: spieper@madison.k12.wi.us Pathways: Marketing Entrepreneurship/Management Finance/Accounting Course Standards: Common Core State Standards for Literacy in All Subjects Common Core State Standards for Mathematics -- Standards for Mathematical Practice Wisconsin Common Career Technical Core Standards Wisconsin Standards for Business and Information Technology 1

2 Course Assessment(s): Summative assessments for units Research Projects Ethics Scenarios Individual and Group Presentations Syllabus: Law and Ethics Course Outline (including Unit(s) of Time and Essential Questions): Unit #1 Basics of the Law How ethical decisions are made? How does the law relate to ethics? Why is the law important? What are the parts of the Constitution? What are the components of common law? What is the purposes of statutory law? How do the courts make law? What is jurisdiction? What is the structure of the federal court system? What is the role of the United States Supreme Court? What are some alternative dispute resolution techniques? What is the difference between civil and criminal cases? What are the rights of criminal defendants? What are the steps in a criminal prosecution? What are the steps in a civil lawsuit? What are the different categories of crime? How is federal law different from state law? What are the elements of a crime? What are the defenses to criminal acts? What are the differences between penalties for committing felonies and misdemeanors?. How do you define different types of business crimes, such as arson, forgery, and embezzlement? What is the difference between a tort and a crime? What is the difference between and give examples of negligence and intentional torts? What are some remedies available in tort law? 2

3 What are the main intentional torts against people and property? What is negligence? What is the reasonable person test and proximate cause? How does the concept of strict liability impact a tort? Unit #2 Contract Law Why are contracts important? What are the elements of a valid contract? What is the difference between express, and implied, unilateral and bilateral, and oral and written contracts? What are the requirements of a valid offer? What are the requirements of an acceptance? What is the differences between an offer, an invitation to negotiate, an acceptance, and a counteroffer? How are offers terminated? Who has contractual capacity? How does the statute of frauds and the parol evidence rule impact contracts? What are minors contractual rights and responsibilities? What is legality and illegality when it comes to contracts? What are the requirements for valid consideration? What are the different types of consideration? What exceptions are there to the requirements of consideration? What is the difference between unconscionability and illegality? How and when contracts can be discharged? When has a contract been performed? What are the rules that apply to transfers of rights and duties? What remedies are available when a contract is breached? Unit #3 Employment Law What is the relationship of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act to employment? What are some of the pieces of legislation that regulate employee rights? What questions can and cannot be asked during an employment interview? What legislation that guarantees worker benefits? What does employment-at-will mean? What are the exceptions to employment-at-will? How does the collective bargaining process impact employment? 3

4 What laws that regulate labor unions? How does the law protects employee health and safety? What are the laws that guarantee fair wages and benefits? What laws prohibit different forms of discrimination? How do employment laws protect minors? Unit #4 Cyber Law and E Commerce What does the concept of intellectual property mean? What are some examples of intellectual property? What are patents, copyrights, and trademarks and how does the law protect them? What is the Uniform Commercial Code? What is the difference between service contracts and contracts for the sale of goods? What is a cybercrime and a cybertort? What are some different types of cybercrimes and cyber torts? When is a digital signature acceptable? What is the difference between cyberdefamation and cyber invasion of privacy? Unit #5 Credit Protection and Bankruptcy What is the difference between repossession and garnishment? What federal laws regulate consumer credit? What rights do you have under the Consumer Credit Protection Act., the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and the Fair Credit Billing Act? What is the purpose of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act and the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act? What are some alternatives to bankruptcy? What are the differences between the different types of bankruptcy? What is the difference between voluntary and involuntary bankruptcy? Which debts cannot be discharged by bankruptcy? Unit #6 Environmental Law What government agencies are in charge of protecting the environment and what are some substantial laws and acts that have been passed? What private groups work to protect the environment and what are some of their accomplishments? 4

5 Unit #7 Family Law What are the rights and duties involved in marriage? What are the different types of marriages? What types of marriages are prohibited by law? What are the requirements of a legal marriage? What are the main types of retirement plans? What are the formal requirements of a will? How can you revoke or change a will? What are the different types of trusts? Unit #8 Career Development/21st Century Skills (Ongoing) How do the skills and knowledge I am learning in this class get applied within a job setting? How can I work with a team to develop an answer to a question or solution to problem? How I apply the skills that my future employers will value? Texts, Technology, and Resources: Business and Personal Law - Glencoe Publishing Ethics Workbook Behavior/Attendance Policy: Memorial behavior rules are followed in the classroom. Attendance is important, if you are going to miss class, please see the instructor in advance to see what needs to be completed. Grading Policy: Quarter grade will be calculated by total points Semester grade = 40% Quarter 1, 40% Quarter 2, 20% Final Exam 5