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Aramark Corporation is a private company that is a professional
services organization, providing food services, facilities management,
hospitality services, uniforms and career apparel to large public and
private institutions worldwide. Headquartered in Philadelphia, Aramark has
approximately 242,500 employees working in 20 countries.
art of Aramark's business involves prison catering and prison shops. The
Campaign Against Prison Slavery alleges while serving this "captive market",
Aramark billed Ohio's prisons as if had served 4,462,649 meals instead of
the 2,803,722 meals actually served. The difference could represent an
over-billing of some $2.08 million. Aramark subsequently lost the contract
in 2000 when State employees put in a bid that was one million dollars lower
than the company's bid.[1]
In January of 2004, Aramark agreed to pay more than $29,000 in gratuities to
employees of the Southbridge Conference Center in Boston, Massachusetts
after several employees filed complaints that the company was withholding
their tips. According to the complaints, the tips were withheld from January
of 2002 to August of 2003. (Boston Globe, Jan. 28, 2004.)
In 2005, several Aramark managers were implicated in an embezzlement scandal
involving under-reporting of the company's vending machine
revenues.[citation needed]
Since Aramark's 2003 acquisition of the environmental services at Scott &
White Hospital in Temple, Texas, the company has been under fire for alleged
malfeasance, breach of contract, incompetence and rampant workplace
bullying. While the hospital's board members have profusely praised the
company, most other staff members have been extremely critical of Aramark's
managers, of its treatment of its employees and of the quality of the
services provided.[attribution needed] Several former Scott & White
employees have successfully sued the company, while others have settled out
of court.[attribution needed] Scott & White, a major medical center with
satellite clinics throughout central Texas, is one of Aramark's largest
customers
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