NLRB Quorum Limbo, DOL Deregulation Push, Coldplay Concert Exposes Workplace Romance - #WorkforceWednesday® - Employment Law This Week®
What's the Tea in L&E? Love Contracts: Consensual Relationships in the Workplace
What Can the Movie The Hating Game Teach Us About Office Romances? - Hiring to Firing Podcast
Consensual With Consequences: Breaking Company Policies Without Breaking the Law
Handbooks ‘R’ Us
III-40 – Valentine’s Day Episode on Love Contracts
I-16 – Kneeling, Indefinite Leave, DC Updates, Non-Compete Consideration, and Pretty as a Protected Class
Corporate Law Report: Workplace Romances, FMLA Changes, California Tax News, and More
Do 'Love Contracts' Ease the Risks of Office Relationships?
With the internet ablaze over the recent apparent outing of a workplace romance among executives during a Coldplay concert, employers may be reviewing the legal implications of workplace relationships and considering options...more
The internet lit up recently with viral footage from a “kiss cam” at a Coldplay concert in Boston, Massachusetts. The clip, now dubbed by some as “Coldplay Gate,” depicts the married CEO of Astronomer, Inc., having an...more
Coldplay frontman Chris Martin unexpectedly found himself in the spotlight for reasons other than his music. During a recent concert, Martin called the audience’s attention to a couple featured on a jumbotron “kiss cam.” The...more
“Wicked” may have lost best picture to “Anora,” but the musical’s stars opened the Oscars with a stellar performance of the most memorable songs from the Land of Oz – and there’s no doubt that it was a smash hit at the box...more
Dear Sarah, Two of my employees have started dating, and I’m worried it might affect their work or lead to complaints from others. Should we have a formal policy on workplace relationships? Are we even allowed to have such a...more
If television has taught us anything, it’s that romance can blossom in the workplace, especially when colleagues spend a significant amount of time together. Sam’s romance with Diane, then later with Rebecca were popular...more
Workplace romances and relationships are not uncommon – no doubt because of how much time employees spend at work. ...more
In the high-stress, life-or-death environment of the medical profession, Cupid's love arrow can strike about as quickly as an infection. But before letting the heart do the rounds, it's imperative to consider the legal...more
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, labor and employment attorneys Leah Stiegler and Emily Kendall Chowhan discuss why companies should have employees in romantic relationships sign “love contracts” at work in their latest...more
Even if you didn't do it. The recent proposed Enforcement Guidance on Harassment in the Workplace published by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has some good recommendations for harassment training topics....more
Employers, know your limits. As most of our readers know, for inappropriate behavior to be "sexual harassment,” it has to be "unwelcome" to the recipient....more
If romantic comedies have taught us anything, it’s that romance can blossom in the workplace, especially when colleagues spend a significant amount of time together. But the movies conspicuously omit the significant risks...more
If you thought workplace romances vanished with the COVID-19 pandemic, think again. According to a recent survey by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), one-third of 550 U.S. workers said they are or have been...more
Note: Includes spoilers for Amazon Prime’s The Expanse. I am an unabashed science fiction nerd. Growing up, I tended to gravitate toward television shows, movies, and books that took place in our own future as opposed to...more
A consensual affair between a superior and subordinate can advance to a quid pro quo harassment claim if an adverse employment decision follows. Oftentimes, employers maintain various policies that would prohibit such...more
This special Valentine’s Day episode discusses the pros and cons of employers entering into love contracts with its employees....more
Ah, Valentine’s Day. The holiday of love. The bottom line of businesses such as flower shops and romantic restaurants may thrive on once-a-year professions of affection and attempts to woo a possible partner or current...more
With Valentine’s Day quickly approaching, love is in the air. As an employer, do you know which of your employees might be celebrating together on Feb. 14?...more
February is often called the “month of love,” and for employers, it may be an appropriate time to consider how to address issues surrounding workplace romance. Regardless of whether employers approve, it is likely inevitable...more
Our latest Corporate Law Report includes a look at how to deal with office relationships, changes to FMLA rules to benefit veterans, an unfortunate tax development for investors in certain California business, and other...more
Every year around Valentine's Day employers are reminded of the risks surrounding workplace romances - but of course this is a tricky issue that exists all year long. Can a "love contract" - an HR document signed by both...more
As Valentine’s Day approaches, what better time to address the proverbial workplace issue — the office romance. While everyone certainly loves a great love story with a happily ever after ending, unfortunately, office romance...more
“Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies.”—Aristotle “The quickest way to a man’s heart is through his chest.”—Rosanne Barr Okay, so, in college I was good friends with this girl on the dorm...more
Originally published in the New York Law Journal on December 26, 2012. The recent life-imitating-art headlines featuring illicit romantic affairs involving senior corporate and governmental leaders remind us that there...more
As Valentine’s Day approaches, here are some interesting facts for employers to consider: Statistics indicate that over 10 percent of married couples met at work. Almost a third of respondents in a recent survey by Monster...more