Big controversy brewing over David Letterman. He's admitted to sleeping with a couple of his female staffers. Some wonder if it was sexual harassment, that he forced himself onto his subordinates.
Well, sexual harassment is not unheard of in the workplace.
But then neither is sucking up to the boss.
Both of those things are true, Kirk! During the time I worked for a labor union, sexual harassment was a new hot topic. I have represented both accusers and harassers. I've advocated for some men I thought deserved less than I was able to achieve for them. I have pleaded for women I thought were a little too sensitive. It is ALWAYS dicey. It is NEVER pleasant. People get truly worked up about it.
ReplyDeleteWhat prompted this post was the idea that if it was consensual then it's automatically OK. If I find out a male co-worker went out to a bar with the boss, and the boss didn't force the co-worker to go out to the bar, making the whole thing "consensual" I might still have a problem withit.
ReplyDeleteHaving said all that, I'm not automatically against a boss going either to bed or to a bar with an underling. But if they chose to so, they should BEND OVER BACKWARDS to prove they can be fair to everyone else.
I should bend over backwards to avoid typos.
ReplyDeleteOne would need to strive for balance and clear communication, which few of us achieve. And typically, that's what sets these things off. The intent and the implications were not communicated thoroughly.
ReplyDelete