CEO Law Review

Office Love Affairs: How to Prevent Scandal

Written by Jeana Goosmann | Apr 6, 2016 9:08:54 PM

Are things starting to get a little steamy around the office? Perhaps two employees have started to take long glances at each other from across the conference room, text each other like crazy, or maybe they have been known to frequent the supply room at the same time. All of these are signs that your office may be experiencing a love affair. Considering the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) found that 43 percent of HR personnel interviewed reported dealing with romances in the workplace, there is a decent likelihood that your company will have to address one at some point.

First, many office romances may bloom into happy relationships. Even some famous relationships began that way: the President and Mrs. Obama along with Bill and Melinda Gates are two high-profile examples. The key is to keep the office romance under control as to not affect the company’s success. In companies that don’t flat-out ban office relationships, HR professionals are starting to adopt an equal-footing acceptance. Managers may not purposely squelch a spark between employees that have no position over one another, but do put a stop to the special attention between a manager and their subordinate.

Cupid’s Legal Arrow

The biggest concerns your employment law attorney will have involve sexual harassment and potential claims of a hostile work environment. As long as the relationship is consensual, the company should be protected. The trouble lies in proving the relationship was consensual after the breakup and effect on the work place. The subordinate may suddenly claim they felt induced into the relationship and pressured that if they did not engage in the relationship, their job would be on the line. This is why so many companies will not allow a direct—or even an indirect—supervisor romance.

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