Ethics: The 2019 Firing of McDonald’s CEO, Steve Easterbrook

The #MeToo movement prompted businesses to revamp their workplace dating policies. McDonald’s is one of many companies with a dating policy that prohibits consensual relationships and requires disclosure of the same. In November 2019, McDonald’s fired its CEO, Steve Easterbrook, for violating that policy. The ousting of such a high-level executive for violating a dating policy was surprising to some. Others were shocked by the severance package Easterbrook received: $42 million plus $23.8 million in stock options. The purpose of this case study is to discuss the ethical implications of Easterbrook’s termination and severance package and to analyze the decision making and consequences thereof, considering the later discovery of three additional consensual sexual relationships between Easterbrook and three subordinates.