Ethics in the Workplace: Case Study Scenarios
Standards Addressed:
CT Framework: Cooperative Work Experience
Content Standard 1: Career Awareness
Content Standard 3: Career Retention
Content Standard 5: Technology and Information
CT Framework: Technology Education Curriculum Framework
Content Standard 3: Career Awareness
Objective: To become aware of ethical issues in the workplace and to problem solve how
to handle various situations.
Length: 60 minutes
LESSON
Engagement:
As a group students will watch three short videos.
http://youthforhumanrights.org/watchads/index.html
Download and watch the following human rights ads:
2: Don’t Discriminate
27: Copyright
29: Responsibility
Pre-Assessment:
KWL chart: What are ethics? Describe your personal ethics that you display in school
and/or work and/or at home. What type of ethics do you think are important to display at
work?
Activity:
Split class into groups of 3-5 students. One group member should volunteer to be the
scribe, another timekeeper, another facilitator and another reporter.
Each group will receive a copy of “You’re the Boss” and
JA
Success Skills “Ethics and
You” case studies. Each group will choose 2-3 case studies to discuss and answer the
ethical questions provided.
After 30 minutes reconvene to discuss important findings as a larger group.
Cyndi Wells
EDU 696
Fall 2008
Evaluation:
Individually write 2-3 sentences describing your personal code of ethics.
Extension:
Insert your personal code of ethics into your qualities/attributes section of your resume.
Attachments (Case Scenarios and Ethical Questions)
You’re the Boss
Directions: As a group, take the perspective of the boss and problem
solve the following scenarios:
All level employees have attended a mandated sexual harassment
training in the workplace. Bob continues to make rude remarks to all
the women in his department. What should I do?
Betty was working in the plant when she caught her finger in a
machine, causing a severe injury and a lost time Workers Comp
claim. I have heard rumors that Betty had been smoking pot before
she came to work. We have a “No Drugs in the Workplace” policy,
what should I do?
When he is at work, Richard is one of my best employees. However,
recently he has been late coming into work. What should I do?
I have been receiving complaints about John, who works in the
finishing department. People around him say that he smells badly
and it is difficult to work around him. He is a good employee, how can
I tell him to practice better hygiene?
Linda, who is an excellent employee, has applied for a transfer to the
Shipping and Receiving Department. The job includes lifting heavy
materials and operating the fork lift. She is qualified to do the job, but
that job should go to a man, after all, there are only men in that
department. What should I do?
Cyndi Wells
EDU 696
Fall 2008
James applied for the position of Sales Manager. I had Human
Resources check his references. It is difficult to read his application
because his handwriting is so messy, so I am considering not hiring
him because of this. Am I being fair?
I am facilitating our department meeting this month and the
employees have been complaining about each other and are not
getting along with one another. Some people are saying that other
people’s ideas are not any good, other people are not completing
their work. What should I do at the meeting?
JA S U C CESS SKILLS
Adapted from Junior Achievement Success Skills (2002). Junior Achievement, Inc.,
Colorado Springs, Colorado
1. CONNECTING TO THE WORKPLACE
Ethics and you
Ethics = Rules or standards, for right/good behavior or actions
Your group will work on one of the case studies below. Read the case and answer the
questions on the next page. Select one group member to present your answers to the
rest of the class.
Case Study #1
Your friend, Holly, confides in you that Mr. Leech, the yearbook moderator, has been
criticizing her in front of the yearbook staff. Holly is ready to quit the staff because
she’s tired of Mr. Leech calling her stupid and making fun of her. What should you
do?
Case Study #2:
You usually wait outside your school for one of your parents to pick you up after
basketball practice. Lately you observed two of your school’s cafeteria workers
loading boxes of paper and food supplies into a van and driving off. You’ve seen this
occur three or four times, and you suspect they may be stealing. What should you
do?
Case Study #3:
Your friend, John, is a computer whiz, and the principal asked him to help enter some
data into the school computer. Now John is bragging to you that he hacked his way
Cyndi Wells
EDU 696
Fall 2008
into the student grade reports. You don’t know if he has changed any grades or not.
What should you do?
Case Study #4:
Your English class has a research paper assignment due tomorrow, and you haven’t
started yours yet. While waiting in line, you overhear a student mention a great
Internet site where you can download a completed research paper on any topic. You
think this might be the solution to your problem. What should you do?
Case Study # 5:
You work at an auto repair shop with a co-worker named Dante. Last week Mr.
Perez, the owner, turned down Dante’s request for a raise. Dante told you, “Perez is
going to be sorry he did this.” Today you arrive at work and find broken windows
and graffiti on the walls. What should you do?
Case Study #6:
You and your two friends, Portia and Melanie, work in the same department of a
large discount store. Melanie frequently shows up an hour late for work, looking
tired and bedraggled. You and Portia have been covering for her, but your supervisor
is getting suspicious. What should you do?
CONNECTING TO THE
WORKPLACE
Ethical Questions
1. What is the ethical violation (e.g., lying, stealing)?
2. Do you have enough information to act? If not, what additional information do
you need?
Cyndi Wells
EDU 696
Fall 2008
3. Assuming your suspicions are true, who is at fault and whose rights were
violated?
4. If you were the adult in charge (e.g., the principal or supervisor) what would you
do to the violator once you found out the truth?
