If you have non-Jewish employees to whom you must provide food, may you buy for them non-kosher meat or is this forbidden and you must pay the high price of kosher meat? Rav Moshe Shternbuch (2:394) says that the Rema (YD 117) says that it is assur to feed them Neveilos and Treifos or any other food that is forbidden. However, the Shach permits it  and says that the custom is to allow it. The Chochmas Adam agrees with the Shach.

Rav Shternbuch says that the reason it may be permitted, in light of the clear issur to do business and profit from non-kosher food, is that this is not considered profit. Rather he is trying not to lose money by buying expensive kosher meat, that his employees do not need. This is not called doing business nor is it considered profiting. The Aruch HaShulchan agrees with this reasoning, says Rav Shternbuch.

However, says Rav Shternbuch, he heard that Jewish women sometimes go to the non-kosher butcher to buy this meat. This, he says, is prohibited because it is Maras Ayin. You should give the money to the non-Jew and let him buy it himself.  Surely if the agreement is that you provide meal money, the employee is permitted to get any kind of food he desires with any Chashash Issur whatsoever.

Author’s Note: We try to convey the Tshuva to the best of our ability. We admit that our understanding may not be accurate. One should learn the tshuva to verify the accuracy of our interpretation.  Please also understand that this Tshuva may not be the final word on this topic. One should consult a Rav before drawing any conclusions. Revach.