AN ETHICAL DILEMMA - STEVEN were against company policies and, if reported, a smell of rotten meat. It almost made him Steven, a junior at Texas University, just started the supervisors in charge could get in trouble vomit. "How could this happen?" he wondered. working part-time at a local fast food restaurant and the restaurant would face investigations He threw away the rotten meat without asking chain. Although not his dream job, it paid for from the health department. However, there anyone because he was afraid of what the tuition and books, and the restaurant gave him was ample opPportunity for things like this to answer might be. the flexible schedule he needed for school. After occur. There was no one watching them, and the After Steven threw out the spoiled meat, a few months, Steven found he got along well shift supervisor also engaged in these activities. he began to wonder how the culture of the with all of his co-workers, but it was apparent Steven felt it was the company's responsibility to hire good people, so they were to blame if these restaurant got to the point of supporting such they did not respect the company or the management. The employees made fun of their practices. He realized the seemingly minor things happened. unsanitary practices allowed major issues to bosses and treated the work area like a One day, Steven approached Julie and arise that could possibly hurt someone. Steven playground. In some respects, Steven thought it asked, "Why do so many people here serve food felt he should say or do something, but to was a fun environment to work in, especially that has fallen on the floor to customers?" whom? He sat down and pondered what he after hours when management was gone for the Julie thought about it briefly as though she had sho day. They played their music loudly, laughed, never considered it before and replied, "I guess and talked with one another during the down it's because it would take too much time to get times instead of cleaning up their work areas like another beef patty out of the freezer, cook it, they were supposed to. Despite the fact there and serve it to the customer. This is a fast food were ethical policies telling employees how they restaurant, after all, and I'm not interested in were expected to act in the workplace, these hearing customers complain about the time it policies never seemed to be enforced. takes for them to get their food. Besides, the One day, while working with his co- restaurants with the fastest service get a bonus worker Julie on the food assembly table, Steven from corporate headquarters. Last year the saw Julie accidentally drop a meat patty on the supervisors rewarded us with some extra money floor. Without so much as a flinch, she bent for doing our jobs so quickly." down, picked up the patty, stuck it back on the Steven was somewhat taken aback by bun, and wrapped it up. It happened so fast that the honest reply and asked, "Wouldn't you be Steven wasn't even sure he had seen right- disgusted if you were served dirty food at a especially since Julie had done it so casually. restaurant?" Steven watched in dismay as another worker This time Julie's response was quick. She took the hamburger out to the customer. said, "What I don't know won't hurt me." She Over the next few weeks, Steven saw walked off. others, including the shift supervisor, do the Several weeks went by and the same same thing with burgers and other products. practices continued. Steven became more and Once, an entire cheeseburger hit the greasy more concerned about the consequences that floor, was picked up, and was taken to the could happen in an environment so laid back and customer. This time the customer complained unconcerned about safety and health. It seemed the burger tasted funny and sent it back. Steven like the more time that passed, the worse noticed other unsanitary practices such as everyone's attitude became. employees not washing their hands between One day, at the beginning of his shift, handling meat and vegetables and not washing Steven noticed the walk-in freezer had been left utensils between uses. Obviously, such practices open. As he went to shut the door, he discovered