Problem:
Read the case study concerning Joelle below. Discuss the different ethical principles which can be applied in handling this situation. Which would you use and why? Must be in APA format and review atleast three of these ethical principles:
- Egoism
- Utility
- Rights
- Duties
- Virtues
Case Study:
Joelle, a high school senior, is planning a career as a chemical engineer. She has a well-paying afternoon and weekend job at a local chemical plant. Joelle's supervisors are impressed with her work and have said as a chemical engineer as soon as she completes her college education. They have even set up a scholarship fund to help pay for some of her college expenses.
One day while checking on supplies in the warehouse, Joelle noticed four workers loading a dozen old, rusty barrels onto a flatbed truck. The barrels were labeled "HAZARDOUS" and "DANGER." Several of them appeared to be leaking. The workers said that they didn't know what was in the barrels, but had been ordered to take them to the dump.
Later, Joelle asked her boss, Mr. Espinal, for more details. Looking a little uncomfortable, Mr. Espinal told Joelle that this was a company secret. Mr. Espinal made Joelle promise not to tell anyone. He then explained that the company saved thousands of dollars a year by dumping some of it's chemical waste in a lake at a nearby abandoned rock quarry, rather than paying for proper disposal. Joelle felt very uncomfortable upon learning this news. She knew that children rode their bikes in the hills around the quarry and that the city's water reservoir was only a couple of miles from the quarry.
When Joelle mentioned her concerns, Mr. Espinal reacted angrily. He told Joelle that the money saved through using "the dump" allowed the company to hire high school students for part-time jobs. He also made it clear that in hiring any chemical engineers who couldn't keep company secrets.
Joelle's mother is an editor at the city newspaper. Should Joelle mention "the dump" to her mother?