Short Shorts

Topic: Workplace Policies and Discrimination

Characters: Lucy, Employee at The Sandtrap Don, Manager of The Sandtrap Fred, Owner of The Sandtrap

Lucy, a college student, is a waitress at a popular eating and drinking establishment called The Sandtrap, located on the local beach. This restaurant is known for nightly bands and great entertainment. The usual uniform for waitresses is jeans or similar long pants and a “Sandtrap” T-shirt.

Business is always good during the spring and summer months while everyone is vacationing, but during the winter months there is a steady decline. In an effort to improve business during the off-season months, Fred, the Sandtrap’s owner, tried a number of new strategies and gimmicks to increase patronage. A past plan was to include extended happy hour specials and complimentary forger foods to customers. His latest successful strategy is to require all waitresses to wear low-cut and tight-fitting shirts and very short shorts.

Sales have improved with the new dress, but there have also been some problems. Many male customers make lewd and abusive remarks to the waitresses, particularly after having several drinks. Lucy is tired of being abused by customers’ physical and verbal actions, so she consults Don, the manager, and tells him that she will no longer wear the skimpy outfit. Don tells her to wear the revealing attire for the present.

Now, in view of her complaints, Don has to decide what he is going to do. He is reluctant to allow Lucy to go back to the old uniform since he is convinced that the new, revealing clothing is drawing customers that the restaurant badly needs.

Author: Dr. Marilyn M. Helms, Associate Professor of Management, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

What Are the Ethical Issues? (Give detailed answers for the following, and relate to real life examples)

1. Could this be a sexual harassment issue?

2. Should waitresses be forced to wear uniforms that make them feel uncomfortable in front of customers?

3. Should customers be allowed to harass the waitresses?

4. Is it discrimination if male waiters continue to wear the original uniform?