The Rules On Relationships At Work
Can having sex at the office get you fired? The rules of risky business.
In honor of National Boss day (October 16) and recent work romance shenanigans, we wanted to explore what's legal, taboo and inadvisable in terms of sex, love and the office.
Between Oprah's flight crew debaucle and David Letterman's at-work affairs, looks like Hollywood could use some tips on dating in the workplace, too. While Oprah really had nothing to do with the alleged activities, the flight attendant who was fired for the misconduct is now suing Harpo, Oprah's production company, for $75,000.
According to the Chicago Tribune, flight attendant Corrine Gehris says that a fellow flight attendant and a guest on Oprah's jet made false accusations against her and the pilot, Terry Pansing. (The two supposedly had sex while the plane was grounded and switching crews; Oprah and her guests were sleeping.) Joining the Mile High Club
Letterman, it turns out, did violate a CBS policy by having relations with multiple staffers. The policy is part of a contract that all CBS employees sign. So what does that mean for the late-night talk show host? Probably nothing, since no one—besides the guy who tried to blackmail a few million out of him—was professionally harmed. (We'll have to see what happens to his mistresses, however.)
Hollywood aside, dating a colleague (or boss!) is actually pretty common. A 2009 careerbuilder.com survey showed 40 percent of respondents have dated a coworker. And 34 percent of those dated a superior or someone of a higher-ranking position. The New Hook-Up Hotspot? Work!
Let's break it down:
Dating at the office. Somewhat-to-completely acceptable. While it's not illegal to date a coworker, companies have the right to institute a no-dating policy or require employees to sign a love contract (remember Jan and Michael’s from The Office? Disaster.) If the company has a policy and you don't know about it or you disregard it, you can be asked to make a choice.
Sex at the office. Just don't do it—grounded airplane or not. While it's not illegal (Nevada is one of the few states with an official law on sex at work...), organizations have the right to fire an employee for gross misconduct if they have been caught sexing it up on the desk, copier, elevator…you get the idea. Don't get naughty at the office. 10 Places To Have Sex Before You Die
Irene LaCota, President of specialty dating service It's Just Lunch, fills us in on relationship etiquette in the workplace:
Discussion
Workplace romances are NOT a good idea. Too many problems can arise. And most of them can be detrimental to your career. See 20 Problems a Workplace Romance Can Cause at http://bit.ly/2HNUIV If you’re tempted to become romantically involved with someone at work, take a long, hard look at this list. The risks greatly outweigh the rewards.
If you’re already involved in a workplace romance, follow the 17 Rules of Engagement for Workplace Romance at http://bit.ly/121i2L These guidelines will help you keep things on a professional level, and minimize many of the problems workplace romances can cause. David Letterman is in his present predicament because he broke the first 3 rules on this list, and possibly others as well.
