Workplace romances are fairly common in the United States. In one study, roughly one out of every three employees said that they were currently in a relationship or had previously dated a coworker. In some cases, this is even how people meet their future spouse.
However, employers do not always approve of this trend. One CEO said that she banned office romances. If two people started dating, she would require one of them to seek employment elsewhere. In other situations, a CEO may allow office romances, but require full disclosure to HR as soon as the relationship begins.
Avoiding sexual harassment allegations
One of the top reasons that employers take this approach is because they are trying to prevent allegations of sexual harassment on the job. If a relationship sours, they do not want one partner to begin making claims that they were harassed or forced to act in ways that made them uncomfortable.
After all, some types of sexual harassment can be relatively subtle. For instance, quid pro quo sexual harassment occurs when someone is offered something that they want, such as a promotion or a raise, in exchange for entering into a relationship with another person.
This is why it is often problematic for people to date at different levels in the business hierarchy, such as someone dating their supervisor or manager. If they break up, it could lead to allegations that it was a quid pro quo arrangement and that the employee was being manipulated or coerced the entire time. Some CEOs believe that simply banning relationships is an easy way to avoid these allegations.
Addressing harassment allegations
Banning relationships is one potential option, as is requiring employees to disclose those relationships to HR. But the reality is that office dating is very common, and it can sometimes lead to complex situations where serious sexual harassment allegations are made. Employers who find themselves in this position need to know exactly what legal options they have.