Ethics Cases for Discussion

Case #1

A young woman is buying groceries at her local supermarket and paying with a check. She has recently moved, and her checks still have her old address printed on them, as does her driver’s license. The clerk asks, “Is everything current?” (referring to the information on the check). If the woman answers truthfully, she will be delayed for several minutes while she provides further information, and this would inconvenience both her and the several people behind her in line. She is tempted to lie and say, “Yes.”

Case #2

A purchasing agent for a department store chain has just discovered that a valued supplier, who has been providing an excellent line of clothing at very low prices, is employing 'sweatshop' labor. The workers are recruited abroad and promised a job in the US. Upon arrival they are confined in the manufacturing facility and told that they must stay until they have worked off the fees for their transportation, etc. (It turns out that this takes several years.) By US standards their wages and working conditions are unacceptable (and illegal). They are beaten if they try to escape. The purchasing agent is under intense pressure to keep costs as low as possible and the department store chain is under a good deal of pressure from competitors. The agent is considering continuing to buy from the supplier and pretending no knowledge of the sweatshops.

Case #3

A man has just discovered that a friend of his is cheating on his wife. He is sure that the woman, who he also regards as a close friend, would want to be told about her husband's infidelity. He is also sure that the news will bring her a great deal of unhappiness, and he thinks it might lead to a divorce. He is not sure what effect the disclosure will have on his own relationships with his two friends, but he thinks it will be hard to maintain both friendships, and he might lose them both. The couple have two young children and have been married (and apparently reasonably happy together) for ten years. He is wondering whether he should tell the woman what he has learned about her husband.

Case #4

Members of a legislature are considering passing a law that would make it illegal to discriminate against people with disabilities. The law would require any organization which provides goods or services or employment (businesses, churches, schools, etc.) to make whatever physical or procedural modifications are needed to make it possible for disabled people to participate (shop, work, worship, etc.) as readily as other people do. Though it is framed so as to avoid pushing anyone into bankruptcy, the law would impose significant costs on many organizations.

Case #5

A member of Congress chairs a committee that is responsible for legislation aimed at protecting the environment. Representatives of oil companies have offered her a very large campaign contribution, if she will do her best to ensure the passage of legislation favorable to their interests. She believes this legislation, which would relieve the companies of most of their responsibility to clean up their toxic wastes, would not be in the best interests of most of her constituents. However, she thinks that the money would virtually assure her re-election and that she would then be able to get other legislation passed which would be so beneficial that it would far outweigh the harm done by the oil industry's bill. She is considering whether to accept the contribution and do as they wish.

Case #6

An accounting graduate has been offered a job working for a company that is known to make most of its profits from its operations in a certain Third World country. In that country wages are so low that most children are malnourished, no environmental or safety regulations are imposed on businesses, and a corrupt and brutal government uses violent repression to keep people from organizing to change any of these circumstances. The job would be personally challenging and a good career move, but it would offer him no opportunity to influence the company's business practices abroad. He is wondering whether he should accept the job.