A former manager at a KFC eatery in Oregon alleges that the owner of his franchise not only ordered employees to serve expired chicken, but also that employees who refused to do so were fired.

According to the lawsuit filed yesterday in a state Circuit Court, KFC policy requires that all fresh chicken be served or discarded within 12 days of the “kill date” stamped on the box.

The lawsuit alleges that in 2010, a different manager had been ordered by the franchise owner to serve chicken that was “turning green and was several days beyond the expiration date.” Instead, that manager threw away the chicken, against orders of her bosses. After the owner discovered the chicken had been tossed away, that manager says she was fired.

The plaintiff in the lawsuit alleges that he was directed by the franchisee to serve expired chicken as early as August 2010.

In Feb. 2011, he says one of his bosses changed the label on a box of fresh chicken to make it look like the chicken had been shipped frozen and thawed, and thus okay to serve.

Soon after he voiced his objection, the plaintiff says he was accused of being insubordinate.

The lawsuit alleges that the franchise’s general manager resigned in April 2011 because “he could not stand serving rotten chicken to families anymore.”

The plaintiff says he gave thought to resigning but opted instead to tell the franchisee that he would not serve spoiled chicken and would notify the Oregon Health Dept. if he was directed to serve expired food again.

Soon after, claims the suit, the plaintiff was told there had been further complaints about his management. The plaintiff states that these complaints were baseless.

During this conversation, he alleges that the franchisee told him that “serving expired food was not a big deal.”

In the end, he was fired for “arguing with leadership,” and “not creating an environment of team work with leadership and owner.”

You can read the entire complaint at CourthouseNews.com.

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